Chronicles of Time III: Another Future
by Sakura Martinez
Summary: Set years after the events of CoT: Cyber World. The Spirit Shinkers' battle against Chronosmon paved way for a new future. But when the consequences of Yumi's choice finally unravels. What is in-store for our heroes? Conclusion to the CoT Trilogy.
1. Prologue

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

It has been a long time since I last wrote anything that has to do with Digimon. But, I figured the hiatus on my Digimon Fanfic writing has to come to an end sometime and, what better way to kick start it than with the third and final fanfic for the Chronicles of Time Trilogy?

Granted, as of the moment of this writing, I still don't have a clear view of where this story would go. Although I _do_ have the main plot to this story written and planned out. XD

Anyways, I do hope that you guys like this and, I hope that those who had enjoyed reading Chronicles of Time: Of What the Future Brings and Chronicles of Time: Cyber World will enjoy this too.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

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><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Prologue**

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><p><strong>.::.<strong>

_A butterfly_

_Fluttering over the vendor's_

_Dry flowers of spring_

_Only two days it flies_

_Caught by the lost boy_

_Yet still..._

**.::.**

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><p>The beeping sound of the alarm clock coupled with the blinding rays that touched his close eyelids were enough to wake the sleeping teen. If it had been any other day, Kouichi Kimura would have quickly hit the snooze button, closed the drapes o his windows, and went back to sleep. But, as it was the first day of his last year in highschool, he knew better than that. Granted, he was already a senior and would not need to attend the early ceremonies that were otherwise reserved for freshmen and transfer students but he and his friends had already made plans to attend and it would be unwise to back out simply for the luxury of going back to bed and oversleeping.<p>

With a grunt, Kouichi pushed himself off of his bed, grabbed his towel, and trudged to the bathroom, ready to start his morning rituals.

As the cold water from the shower head splashed through his short, black hair, down his face, his neck, and the rest of his body, Kouichi could not help but mused over how his life had ended up and of the troubles that seem to be brewing in the horizon.

It had been years since he and the rest of the _Spirit Shinkers _traversed the Digital World; years since he has last transformed into the bearer of the spirit of darkness; years since he has even had a semblance of adventure outside of the realms of the norm. It had also been a long while since he was reunited with Yumi. Granted, she wasn't the same Yumi Kanbara that he had journeyed with in the Digital World and fought with against Chronosmon, but everything else outside her history was just the same that he eventually forgot the difference between the two girls. Though there were times when he had to mind what he says around her.

Kouichi sighed as his thoughts took a turn towards his girlfriend. She had been acting strange, zoning out, and had been more than out of the weather. It made him worried and panicky and all sorts of different things all at the same time. And that, in turn, he knew worried his twin brother, Kouji Minamoto.

But Yumi wasn't the only one with a problem. Even he, Kouichi, could feel an undercurrent of dread and...of something else...coursing through him, ever watching him, moving with him, like a shadow or a haunting specter, though he had yet to share what he was going through with everyone. Heck, he didn't even know if he _wanted_ them to find out.

Kouichi shook his head forced himself not to stray to the thought of things that were haunting him. The moment he decides to let his mind wander, he was certain that he would hear _that_ voice again. He didn't want _that_. That voice could-and would-bring nothing but trouble.

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><p>"Yo! Kouichi over here!" Takuya Kanbara hollered, waving his hands around and almost hitting a passing sophomore in the head.<p>

Kouichi shook his head. There was no need for Takuya to wave at him. He had already seen them standing there, after all.

"Pipe down, Takuya," Izumi Orimoto slapped her boyfriend's arms playfully. "No need to act like an overzealous, little kid."

Takuya merely grinned at the blond, before he faced Kouichi, "What took you so long?"

"The principal," Kouichi answered, he was still a little out of breath from his excursion, "He was detouring everyone on bikes to the other gate. I had to pedal my way to the other side of the school. You could have told me we weren't allowed to take our bikes here, Takuya."

"How would I know something like that. I didn't get here with my bike." Takuya crossed his arms. "If you want to blame someone, blame your brother. He was here way earlier than me, plus he's part of the student council, he should have had known about the new detour."

It was only then that Kouichi noticed the absence of his twin brother, "Speaking of which...where is he? And Yumi?"

"Student Council meeting," It was Izumi who replied. "A meeting that I should be attending, too if it weren't for Takuya."

Kouichi looked at both of them puzzled, though not with the fact that Izumi was supposed to be on that meeting. Izumi, Kouji and Yumi were all part of the previous year's student council and, since the elections for the new student council were still a long way away, they were still tasked on maintaining order in campus. What he didn't understand was why Takuya wouldn't let her go to said meeting.

Takuya, noticing the questioning look Kouichi was giving him shrugged. "I just felt like it."

"So he says," sighed Izumi who clearly didn't like it. "I just hope that they aren't talking about something important. I would hate to miss something like that just because of this idiot."

Instead of feeling offended, Takuya merely laughed and the three friends went on their way. They passed by the bulletin board without a glance, all three of them already knew which class they were in as they made their way to the auditorium.

"So, any news on what happened with Junpei's college applications?" Kouichi asked.

"He's keeping it as a surprise," was Izumi's answer. "He said he'd rather be the one to personally announce the good news rather than to tell everyone about it with a phone call."

Kouichi and Takuya both grinned at the news and said in unison, "Tokyo U." and then laughed. It was, after all, the only probable explanation that Junpei would have for not telling Izumi-whom he never fails to call despite the fact that he already has a girlfriend, they supposed it was just Junpei's habbit being hard to break-what college he was attending.

"Well, it is either that or Osaka." Izumi agreed, and he did sound excited.

"And Tomoki?" Kouichi asked.

"He's coming back this year," It was Takuya's turn. He then grinned and added, "Who would have thought that he would end up studying abroad for so long."

"It's not really that surprising," Kouichi shrugged. "Tomoki is pretty smart for a kid his age."

"You sound as though we're years older than him," chuckled Izumi. She paused and then added with a twinkle in her eye, "Sometimes I even forget that he's much younger than Takuya is."

"Hey!" Protested the auburn in question.

Kouichi couldn't help but to simply laugh. It had been a custom to hear and see the two lovers bickering and even making jibes at the other. Despite that, however, Kouichi-and those who knew about their adventures in the Digital World-all knew just how strong the bond between Takuya and Izumi were. Their love was so strong, in fact, that both would go to the ends of the world and back again to save the one they love. Both had proven just that, going against space and time. Against Chronosmon.

Soon, the trio had entered the auditorium which was overflowing with freshmen and transfer students. Apart from the three of them, there were a handful of other juniors and senior students and a couple of teachers all waiting for the orientation to start.

After successfully navigating through the throngs of students who were all clustered together as if their seniors would suddenly sprang at them, Takuya, Izumi and Kouichi all found some place to sit-which was somewhere at the back. They didn't think twice but immediately sat down, not wanting anyone to take the seat from them.

"Maybe we should help out," Izumi said after a while, seeing as how the other seniors were starting to help out. "They're having a hard time getting everyone seated."

Takuya waved his hand in dismissal, his posture was relaxed, like he didn't have a care in the world. "Nah, let them do it. You've helped out enough for this event, Izumi."

"And that," Kouichi interjected just as the student council appeared at the stage following the Registrar who would welcome all the new and transferred students to the school, "is the reason why you really would end up being a bad president, Takuya."

Izumi managed to say, "Thank you, Kouichi," just as the lights dimmed and the spotlight trailed to the School Registrar.

The School Registrar-which was a pudgy, old, bearded man who goes by the name of Mr. Takamoto Hoshikara-managed to quiet everyone down and begin the orientation, which involved a long lecture on being a youth and being the future of Japan followed by the history of the school. It didn't take long before Izumi had to nudge Takuya awake, but even with his eyes open, one could easily tell that Takuya Kanbara was no longer listening. And no one could hold it against him, not even the other teachers who were all waiting for that one part in the ceremony where they were needed, which was, of course, for them to be introduced to the newest members of the student body.

Even Izumi was starting to feel drowsy and she was doing her best to fight it off.

As for Kouichi, he could only sigh as he wait for the orientation to end. With his chin propped on his hand and his gaze vacant and distant, Kouichi began to daydream about nothing in particular. He simply wanted to be able to do something to pass time. He would have played with his phone if he knew neither he nor his twin brother would get in trouble.

The speech went on and on and on. Many of the new students were almost asleep while others were trying to stop themselves from banging their heads on the chairs in front of them. It was painful to listen to such a long and boring speech and they wanted nothing but for their agony to end. Which was why they were all happy when Mr. Takamoto finally stepped away from the podium and the principal, Wataru Rin, took the stage.

It was during that time, after the principal had just introduced the student council-minus Izumi, who was fuming at not being up there at the stage with the others-that something actually happened. Something that caused Kouichi to take a quick deep breath and to turn pale and to quickly jump to his feet causing those who were sitting beside him-which were Takuya and Izumi-as well as those who were seated behind him to look at him questioningly.

"Kouichi, is there something wrong?" Izumi asked, concern showing on her face.

"Did...did you guys see that?" Kouichi asked.

Takuya looked at him confused, "See what?"

"Um...N-no, it's nothing. Nevermind." Kouici managed to say, concealing the feeling of dread and confusion that he felt. "I, uh, just remembered something."

And before Izumi or Takuya could ask anything else, he quickly made a run for it, out of the auditorium, circling around until he found the entrance to the backstage.

Because what he told Izumi was a lie. Something was wrong. And the feeling of dread that had been following him around for weeks now seemed to have manifested itself. Because he saw it. He saw Yumi turning transparent.

Kouichi didn't know if it was just a trick of the light. He couldn't very well ask Takuya and Izumi nor anyone in the auditorium since they didn't seem to notice. That was why he was running, making his way towards her to check up on her. The feeling of dread multiplying in the pit of his stomach.

Especially since he also heard that familiar voice saying, "It's almost time...".


	2. Flicker

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

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><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter One**

**Flicker**

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><p><strong>.::.<strong>

_Yet Time, who changes all, had altered him_

_In soul and aspect as in age; years steal_

_Fire from the mind as vigour from the limb;_

_And life's enchanted cup but sparkles near the brim._

**.::.**

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><p>Kouichi tapped his foot impatiently. Had he been as rash as Takuya was—and still is—he would not have opted to wait for Yumi to come down from the stage and just barged in. But that was not his style and he did not want to embarrass her as much as he would embarrass himself. And so, Kouichi waited for the Principal to finish never once taking his gaze off of Yumi.<p>

It had shaken him to see her whole body quickly turning transparent. And, if it weren't for that ominous message—that voice—he would have chucked it up on fatigue or the fact that he wasn't able to eat breakfast that day. He wanted to make sure that Yumi was alright, even if that would make him look strange. After all, how was he going to ask what had just happened when he couldn't very well ask her anything related to the Digital or the Cyber World, or even anything that is out of the realm of the norm.

Cold sweat ran through his back as all sorts of negative thoughts raised through his mind, most of them were of the return of their most heated adversary—Chronosmon.

Kouichi knew that he had played an important part against their final battle with Chronosmon. It wasn't hubris to think that Takuya would have completely disappeared if it were not for his help, nor would it be stupid to think that he wasn't in Chronosmon's revenge list.

Finally, after what seemed like a grueling eternity—which, reality, was only just twenty minutes—Yumi finally descended the stairs with the rest of the Student Council, including Kouichi's twin brother, Kouji.

"Kouichi?" It was Kouji who first greeted him, surprise evident on his face. "What are you doing here?"

But, instead of answering his brother's question, Kouichi immediately went to Yumi, putting his hands on her shoulders and looking at her face, asking, "Are you okay?"

Yumi, like anyone, was confused and surprised, that all she could do was ask, "W-what?"

"Kouichi, are you okay?" Kouji followed asking, seeing the look of worry and frustration carved on his twin brother's facial features.

"Yeah," piped Yumi as they moved away from the others, having taken Kouichi's hand in hers. "You don't look so good. Maybe you should sit down and rest."

Kouichi waved her concern off. Nothing was wrong with him, and he told them that. He was more concerned about what he had just witnessed and of Yumi's well-being...not to mention that ominous message. Though he could not say what it was that had bothered him.

Kouji, however, managed to figure out a part of it as he watched Kouichi fuss over Yumi. It wasn't hard to figure out. He had known his brother for years now and knew that there were only two things that the young Kimura could not say directly to Yumi and that was: one, his—and the other _Spirit Shinkers'_—adventures in the Digital World; and two, about the other Yumi—Yumi Kanbara, Takuya and Izumi's daughter from the future; the same Yumi that Kouichi first fell in-love with.

Kouichi noticed the knowing look that Kouji had given him and he could only guess as to what explanation his brother had managed to come up with. But, instead of a confrontation between brothers, Kouichi chose to turn all of his attention to the one in-front of him.

"Are you sure?" Kouichi asked.

"Yes!" Exasperation was slowly building up within Yumi. She knew how overly protective of her Kouichi was, but never had he been like this.

"You're not feeling anything strange? No headaches? Nausea? Anything at all?"

"Are you pregnant?" asked Izumi, who—along with Takuya—had arrived just in time to hear Kouichi's barrage of questions.

Yumi jumped in surprised, whirling around and with her voice rising she replied, "No!" before turning around to face Kouichi, an annoyed look had replaced the worried and confused expression that was there moments before, "Alright, Kouichi Kimura, what is with you? What's going on?"

Kouichi cringed, not really knowing what to say to her and to the rest of his friends who were starting to become suspicious of him. Before he could come up with a good lie, however, he was saved by the bell. Taking it as a sign of good fortune and to stop the others from asking more questions—questions that he, himself, would be unable to answer without seeming paranoid and crazy—he quickly stepped away and bade goodbye to his friends, telling them that none of them should be late for the first class and that he would see them all later

Then he gave one quick peck to Yumi's cheek before bolting out of the room.

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><p>Kouichi had never liked Mr. Terafumi. He was strict and would yell at anyone who wasn't doing anything but studying while in his class. But, for that particular day, he was thankful for the watchful eyes of his teacher and of the tyrannical way he run his class because, even though Yumi was in the same class as him, she couldn't ask him about what had gotten into him earlier.<p>

Kouichi knew that it would be best to tell the others about it. After all, it wouldn't come as a surprise to him if Chronosmon does—indeed—have anything to do with what had just happened. And, being _Spirit Shinkers_, it was sort of their duty to make sure that the two worlds—the Real World and the Digital World—don't go causing problems with each other.

Easier said than done.

Of course, it has ben years since they were last called into action and Kouichi could not help but wonder if someone else had taken their place. Maybe it was the younger generation's turn to take the mantle and protect the two worlds.

_So, would this still be something we all have to fix?_ Kouichi could not help but wonder as he scribbled the list of books Mr. Terafumi was expecting them to get a hold of for their literature class. _Or..._

The bell rang even before he could finish his thoughts and, knowing that Yumi was expecting a great deal of an explanation from him after what had happened earlier today, Kouichi quickly stood up and was about to make a run for it when Yumi managed to grab him by the back of his uniform's collar and drag him towards her.

"Alright, Kouichi Kimura, spit it out."

Some of their classmates who were still in the room looked at Yumi and saw the frustrated look on her face. A couple of these students stopped and stared, surprise that the lovers were arguing—something that, those who had known the two—was a rare thing. They knew Kouichi Kimura to be sweet, loving, and a gentleman in all respects and that he would rather jump off a cliff than anger Yumi. So, to them, seeing the two arguing was, indeed, intriguing.

"What?" Kouichi opted to act confused.

"Don't 'what' me." Yumi dragged Kouichi out of the room, seeing the audience that was starting to gather around them. Then she hissed, "What was this morning about? You looked like you saw a ghost and then you act as though I'm supposed to be sick."

"Can't a guy be worried about his girlfriend?" Kouichi asked in defense.

But Yumi replied with, "Not if he's acting like a creepy and weird. And...definitely _not_ when his girlfriend can clearly see that he is hiding something and is trying to avoid being questioned by said girlfriend, his brother and even his friends."

"Ah...well..." Kouichi couldn't help scratching the back of his neck. She was pissed of, without a doubt.

Yumi tapped her foot, waiting for him to answer.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said. Seeing as how Yumi was about to argue, Kouichi quickly added, "And I'm not just saying that as a bluff and just to stop you from asking or something. It really is...complicated."

A glare was Yumi's sole answer,

Kouichi sighed and decided to simply tell her the truth, minus the whole Digital World thing.

"Look, I was just worried because I _thought_ I heard and saw something..." he paused. "It was probably nothing and I reacted a little bit over the top. So, can we _please_ just drop it?"

"You're not really going to tell me the whole story, are you?" Yumi sighed.

Kouichi wished he could, but how could he? She wouldn't believe him.

Yumi turned around to head to their next class, but just before she took a step forward she added, "You better explain yourself properly to your brother, and to Izumi and Takuya, too. They seem pretty worried about you acting strange."

"Yeah," Kouichi figured just as much, "I guess I will...but—"

Whatever Kouichi was about to say was lost as Yumi suddenly swooned. Quickly, Kouichi rushed to her side and managed to catch her before she could hit the ground.

"Yumi!" his voice was frantic and so was he as he looked around for anyone who could help him, but it was like everyone simply vanished and the whole corridor became deserted.

Seeing that no one was around worried Kouichi. But he stayed where he was at, trying to wake the unconscious girl in his arms.

Cold sweat ran down his neck, his heartbeat raced as fear gripped him and it intensified when Yumi began to turn transparent once again. Seeing the girl in his arms slowly fading, Kouichi was filled with a renewed sense of vigor to wake her up. Calling her name as he shook her, Kouichi prayed that she would open her eyes. He prayed that this was all just a bad dream and that he had just fallen asleep in Mr. Terafumi's class. He was willing to suffer the wrath of the most feared instructor in the district if it meant that none of what was happening was real.

"No, no, no..." Kouichi almost shouted the words as Yumi stayed unconscious. "This can't be happening..."

Kouichi bent his head. What was he supposed to do? He didn't have any idea what was happening, no one was around, and Yumi was slowly disappearing for one reason or another.

Just then, someone spoke from behind him.

"Calm down, Kouichi," it said.

Kouichi whirled around, his hold on Yumi tightening showing how protective he was of her.

Standing a couple of steps behind him was someone he did not expect to see...ever. Well, not exactly 'ever'. He was bound to see the man before him again, although he had thought that such a meeting would be reserved for the future when he was the same age as him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, his hold on Yumi not lessening. "Don't tell me you're here to bring her back to your time. Don't tell me all of this was just to give me more time with her. That's just too cruel, Takuya."

The Takuya from the future shook his head. "No. I would never do something like that to you or to her. Yumi Akibara, though she looks and acts exactly as my little Yumi, she is not her. I would have thought you understood that by now, Kouichi."

"Then...why are you here? What's going on?" Kouichi asked, because Takuya would not be here, traveling once again in his past simply to visit Kouichi.

"For you." was Takuya's reply. "To warn you. Her existence...is becoming unstable, Kouichi."

Fear and panic rose up once more inside Kouichi, "Is that why she was fading? Why she lost consciousness?"

Takuya nodded, took a step before explaining what he knew to Kouichi.

"Like you, Kouichi, I have a lot of questions myself. I'm not even sure what I am doing here. You and I both know that I, as well as the others, should have been erased and sent back to the Sea of Dreams. But," Takuya shook his head. "something must have happened between that point in time when Yumi gave herself and our journey to the Dead Sea of Dreams. But, whatever happened, it created the Yumi you are now with. Of course, that is only a speculation. The old man doesn't actually tell me much."

"What about the other Yumi, your daughter?" Kouichi asked, curious about the first girl that had ever made his heart skip a beat. "Is she alright?"

There was a pause before the future Takuya answered, "I don't know. After that battle with Chronosmon, I was reunited with Izumi and Katsuya but we have yet to see Yumi. This is not why I was sent here, though. I was sent to warn you. Her time is running out. Something is draining her of the energy that the old man, and those of us from the Dead Sea of Dreams have given her. Unless you find out what it is—"

"She's going to disappear for good," Kouichi finished.

Takuya nodded.

"But, how am I supposed to do that? There is no way for us to go back to the Digital World or the Cyber World and, as far as I know, Chronosmon's gone. There isn't any chance for him to come back. We've made sure of that." Kouichi couldn't help saying, he was frustrated. "The bridge between our world and the Digital World has been sealed and, unless there's trouble brewing there, no one can get to that place without being chosen."

"You're not alone in this, Kouichi. You have your friends with you. You guys can figure that out. You've proven that time and time again," Takuya said as Yumi slowly showed signs of coming around. "You also have _him _still."

Kouichi gulped knowing full well what he was talking about as he looked at the girl who was stirring in his arms, then back at Takuya who was beginning to fade away. He also noticed that he was starting to hear the clamor of school. Everything was returning to normal.

"Wait, how long do we have?" Kouichi asked.

"Not long," was the only answer the future Takuya managed to say before he vanished out of thin air and Yumi opened her eyes.


	3. From Dawn to Dusk

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Two**

**From Dawn to Dusk**

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><p>.::.<p>

_Who has time?_

_Who has time?_

_But then if we never take time, how can we have time?_

.::.

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><p>Yumi Akibara watched as Kouichi's aggravation grew. She didn't know why he was so ticked off...<p>

Okay, so maybe she did know a little. She didn't know exactly what had happened but she had lost consciousness. She didn't know why either. She wasn't tired and the nurse had ruled out a number of sickness that would have caused anyone to suddenly faint as she did. As far as the nurse was concerned, she was the poster girl for a perfectly healthy teenager.

The strange thing was, Kouichi didn't pester her with questions about her health—unlike what he had done before. Yumi didn't think much about it. Maybe it was his way of making her not feel that he was right and not give him that "I told you so" speech—at least, that was she thought.

She couldn't really hear what he and his brother, as well as Takuya and Izumi were all discussing but whatever it was that they were talking about it looked as though it was really, really, _really_ big.

* * *

><p>"But the whole thing with Chronosmon is over!" Takuya was furious, to say the least. "There shouldn't be any more time-travelling troubles or any trouble related to alternate universes and futures!"<p>

"I agree with Takuya on this one, Kouichi," Kouji said, his brow was furrowed and his arms were crossed. "He's sealed, he couldn't do anything to us even if he tried."

"But, your future self. He came to me, he warned me that something is up and I seriously can't think of anyone else trying to mess up our lives except for Chronosmon,"

"That's true," Izumi said, she too was bothered by all of this. Even though the Yumi they had grown close to wasn't the same Yumi as her future daughter, Izumi can't help but have an indescribably close bond with Kouichi's girlfriend. "Still, there might be another Digimon—a follower of his—that decided to follow on his or her master's footprints?"

"Or maybe the seal is weakening just enough so that his power can seep through the cracks and cause trouble." Kouji laid his two cents.

Kouichi ran a hand over his already messy hair, "So, what do we do now? How are we going to keep Yumi from disappearing if we don't even know what we're dealing with? And we don't have much time to even try to understand all of it."

"We don't have to understand all of it right now," Kouji contemplated, he was staring through the window as he did so.

"What do you mean?" Takuya asked.

Kouji then turned to look at his friends one by one before answering Takuya's question, saying, "The other Takuya mentioned a 'him'. If we can find who this 'him' is, he may be able to lead us to the answers we are searching for."

Kouichi forced himself not to show any indication that may betray his knowledge of who this person was. It wasn't that he wanted to hide that information from them, it's just that he was afraid of what that information might bring; what explanation could be unearthed from him about why he is still around. He wasn't ready for the answers yet that he might bring so Kouichi decided that, until there wasn't any other leads they can use, he wouldn't bring up the identity of the person in question.

_But you were the one fussing about not having time left, Kouichi._ The familiar voice echoed through his mind. _I can give you and your friends answers, if you let me._

Kouichi forced himself not to listen to that voice. He kept telling himself that he wasn't ready to open that door yet.

Besides, perhaps Yumi can tell him something...anything that might help.

* * *

><p>"You looked like you were arguing with your friends," Yumi told him after the nurse gave them both an excuse slip so that Kouichi could get her home to rest half an hour later.<p>

"Not really arguing. Just had a little discussion about something." Kouichi explained as they both rode through the neighborhood on Kouichi's bike. Kouichi paused for a moment, not really sure how to ask his questions as he wondered if Yumi had any inkling about what was going on.

"What is it?" Yumi asked him as they round the bend, passing by a gas station.

"What?" Kouichi asked.

"I have the feeling that you want to ask me something," Yumi replied. "Is this about what happened in the hallway? Because I really don't know what came over me."

A couple of seconds of silence before Kouichi decided to ask, "Have you...have you recently been having weird dreams?"

"Weird dreams?" Yumi repeated, unsure if she heard him right. "Like what? Unicorns and rainbows?"

Kouichi laughed at that, "No. Not exactly. Something...inexplicable. Something that caused you to wake up in a fit of panic. Like a nightmare that seems to mean more than just that. A dream that makes you think that it all seems familiar, maybe even real."

Yumi thought for a moment. There was one in particular, a recurring dream, but she wasn't sure why Kouichi would be asking her about it now or why it would be important to him, because from the way Kouichi had asked, along with the look on his face, Yumi knew that it was important. And it was because of that that she didn't hesitate to tell him of it.

"There is one dream I've been having over and over again," she began and she noticed Kouichi's grip tighten. "It's not really a bad dream...just weird."

"How weird?" Kouichi asked.

"It always happens in a white-washed place," Yumi told him, there was a far-away tone of her voice. Kouichi thought it was wistfulness but he questioned, silently, why she would sound that way. "No matter where you look all you can see is white: the sky, the ground, the houses, even people's clothes. And the people there, they look so lifeless."

"Were you scared?" Kouichi prodded.

He felt Yumi shake her head, "Not really. There was this group of people who seem to look after me. I mean, I almost fell over this giant ravine but they kept me from toppling over. That was scary but the ravine," she shivered, "it was scarier. It was the only thing in that place that wasn't blindingly white and the only place that the people there seem to not want to get near to."

"What were you doing near it then?"

"I was following this little girl who kept calling my name. I guess I was so caught up with following her that I didn't see the ravine until I almost fell in it." Yumi answered. She sounded so nonchalant about it that Kouichi knew she didn't know the importance of her dream. "She—the little girl, I mean—look so familiar. No, that's not it. Now that I think about it, it wasn't just the little girl that was familiar, the whole place felt like some place I had been to before."

Kouichi let out a shaky breath. He knew why it was familiar to her and he also had an idea of what that place was. It was, after all, the very same place he had been dreaming of and the very same place he had been to—once. But, in his dreams there was only the ravine. There was no light there, no white-washed world, no one to help him. In his dreams he was trapped there with no way to escape and no one to count on but himself.

He could feel the familiar tug in his gut that came when Duskmon was trying to take hold of his body and it surprised him. The tug had never been that strong, nor had Duskmon ever kept quiet about trying to resurface. It unnerved him and he placed all his concentration and effort in trying to keep him at bay. It would be a big problem, after all, for the tainted Spirit of Darkness to take hold of his body while he was with Yumi.

When they went past the terminal where Kouichi was supposed to take a right turn but didn't, Yumi began to notice that something was wrong with him.

"Kouichi, we missed our turn!" she had said.

But Kouichi did not say anything nor did he show any indication that he had heard her. When Yumi took a peak at him, she saw that he was sweating bullets and his breathing was heavy, like he had just run a marathon. Pedaling the bike might have required one to sweat at times or to feel tired, but Yumi knew Kouichi well enough that at such a leisurely pace, her boyfriend would not be one to quickly tire himself out. What's more, she also noticed that one of his eyes were closed—his left eye.

"Kouichi?" She whispered his name while gently tugging the sleeves of his uniform and at the same time not letting go of him. "Hey, are you alright?"

"Can't..." was all Kouichi could manage to say and it was such a struggle for him to speak.

"Can't? Can't what?" Yumi asked as she quickly surveyed their surroundings, the bike slowing down as Kouichi had stopped pedaling.

But whatever it was that Kouichi can't do, he didn't get to tell Yumi what it was. As soon as the bike had stopped, Kouichi suddenly and unceremoniously fell off.

People who were just passing by jumped back, surprised at the dark-haired young man that had collapsed before them. Yumi, who had climbed off the bike, quickly got to Kouichi's side, unsure of what to do with the unconscious Kouichi. All around her, everyone was buzzing. All of them wondering what was going on. There were a couple who had their head about them that they did what any would do in the face of a medical—for that was what it seemed to them—emergency. They called 911.

* * *

><p>The voices were distant but he knew who they belonged to and those people didn't even bother to keep their voices down.<p>

_You would think they'd at least have the decency not to talk so loud,_ he thought to himself.

It wasn't that he hated the chaos that seemed to be going on around him, it was just that it—the noise—ticked him off after being confined for so long.

"First Yumi and now him?" he heard one of them said, frustration bubbling with every word. "What the heck's going on?"

"What does this have to do with how I fainted earlier today?" Yumi asked. She was just as frustrated but unlike the previous owner of the voice—Takuya—her emotions were controlled.

"That's—"

_Yes, Takuya, how are you going to explain THAT? _He couldn't help but smirk, not really sure if they could see him do so and somehow not caring either way.

"I think he's coming to," He heard Izumi say and it was only when she spoke that he became aware that she was somewhere close by. "Kouichi?"

There were sounds of movement soon after that and he knew that all of their attention were now turn to him. Still, he didn't open his eyes.

"Quit playing games with us," this time, it was Kouji who spoke. "We know you're awake now, Kouichi."

He exhaled before he answered, "I'm not playing games with any of you."

A snort was the answer to his statement. He didn't mind, though. Of course, had they gave him that a couple of years back, he would have minded. A lot.

Slowly he opened his eyes and he quickly saw the impatience on two of the four people's faces. Of course, when they got a good look at his face, their impatience turned into confusion before completely changing into one of surprise and finally fear.

Because now they knew he wasn't who they thought he was. He wasn't Kouichi.

"It's been a while," was what he greeted them with. A greeting that baffled the girl—Yumi. He didn't care, though. She would realize, soon enough, that he wasn't her boyfriend.

"You!" Kouji spat before he grabbed a fistful of his shirt's collar, forcing him to sit up. He wasn't intimidated, though. But he was a little bit surprised. He had, after all, helped these people before. Surely he had earned enough trust for them to stop treating him as an enemy.

"Yes, me." He smirked. There was a brief moment that this threw Kouichi off.

"W-what's going on?" Yumi asked, not the least bit oblivious to the tension that was mounting in the room. "Kouji, Kouichi?"

"I'm going to call the nurse," Izumi said, standing, "Yumi, let's go."

"But—"

He saw Izumi grab Yumi by the shoulder and whispered something to her. Yumi hesitated for a second before nodding and following Izumi out of the room. Once they were gone, Duskmon slapped Kouji's arm away and sat himself up properly. It was only then that he noticed they were in the hospital.

"You don't need to keep protecting her from the truth," he started before either Takuya or Kouji could speak. A sigh escaped Duskmon's lips before he continued, "She will find out about me, and about everything else, eventually...maybe even sooner than you all expect."

"Drop the cryptic talk, Duskmon," Takuya said. He sounded tired and when Duskmon looked over at the young bearer of the Spirit of Fire, he really did seem so. "I figured we would be seeing you sooner or later."

Duskmon raised an eyebrow.

"It was either you or the old man," Takuya explained, shrugging. "Kouichi was acting strange, even for his standards. We knew something was up and that he was hiding something."

Duskmon laughed, "He isn't as sly as he thinks he is. He was keeping me from coming out and telling you all what you don't want to hear but need to hear anyway." he paused before adding, "He's more of a selfish bastard than I am."

"Don't talk about my brother like that!" Hissed Kouji.

"The truth stings, doesn't it?" Duskmon looked as though he was ready to challenge Kouji with those words. "He knew that I knew a lot about what's going on, and he also has a little bit of knowledge about it, but he chooses to hide it all for the sake of being with that girl for a much longer time." Duskmon then shook his head before looking at both Kouji and Takuya, "But she doesn't have that much time left. Her dreams and Kouichi's dreams are proof of that."

"What are you talking about?" Takuya asked.

"Kouichi and Yumi both made a wish to change a lot more than their futures—or, in Yumi's case, her past, present, _and _future." Duskmon replied. "It wouldn't have amounted to anything had they not made the same wish at the same time and during a time when the bridge between time, space, and everything in between was colliding. Thanks to that, your hands are now full with an even bigger threat than Chronosmon."

A frown formed on the two youths' faces.

"Chronosmon is a monster created by human hands and by a wish," Duskmon's crimson-colored eyes never left their faces. "A wish that was also granted; a wish that, as you know, took a lot from the world that would have been. Yumi Akibara is an existence created from a wish both made by Kouichi and Yumi Kanbara. She is an abnormality in this time. An abnormality which holds the key to resurrecting a greater force than all of your enemies combined."

"A Digimon greater than Chronosmon?" Takuya asked, worry seeped through his voice.

Duskmon stood up and walked towards the window before he answered, "No. He is not a Digimon. If he were it would no longer have been your problem, or mine." he let out a small, sarcastic laugh, "As you might guess I am no longer a Digimon as well, being stuck in this guy's body."

Takuya and Kouichi both didn't know that nor did they guess that. They—and the others—all believed that when Kouichi turns his body over to Duskmon, that Duskmon was merely projecting himself through him. Apparently, that wasn't the case.

"The entity of the Dead Sea of Dreams." Duskmon faced them as he spoke. "That's who we're dealing with."

"What are you talking about? The Dead Sea of Dreams helped us! That old man helped us!" Takuya shouted.

"Light and Darkness. Night and Day. Love and Hate. Friend and Foe. Life and Death. Those are two sides of every coin. And as every coin has two sides, so does the Dead Sea of Dreams. The old man you met, he represents the light of that world. While the other—the darkness—is slowly resurfacing because of Yumi. Because of Kouichi. Because of both of them and their wish, the monster is slowly being released from his confines underneath the Dead Sea of Dreams." The words tumbled from Duskmon's mouth so fast that Takuya and Kouji had to both put extra attention to him and his words in order not to miss anything. "When the time comes that Yumi ends up in the Dead Sea of Dreams, near the place where he is sealed, this dark force will be unleashed and it would no longer matter where you are—the Digiworld, the Cyber World, the human world, the present or the future. None of that would matter because by then the apocalypse would be raining down on all of us."

"So, what you're saying is that we have to keep her away from that place. That seems like an easy thing to do." Kouji mused.

"That's what you think," Duskmon said. "This darkness is already using everything he got to force Yumi to the Dead Sea of Dreams. You heard it from your future-self, Takuya. Yumi's energy is being drained when her life force reaches rock bottom she would be immediately sent to the Dead Sea and into the hands of our enemy. Her dreams are not just dreams...Besides, how can you all defeat an enemy that you cannot see in this world? If you want to beat him, you have to fight him. And, if you want to fight him—"

"—we have to go there," understanding dawned upon Kouji's face.

"So? We can just leave Yumi here. She doesn't have to know anything," Takuya huffed, crossing his arms.

"Leave her here? Unprotected?" Duskmon couldn't help but laugh. "What will you do if our enemy sends his peons to take her? How will you know if there is still time, or if you are already fighting a battle that you cannot win? Better yet, how will you even find the place where he's being sealed without the aide of the girl? Weren't you two listening? _She_ is the key—to the end of the world or its salvation; to the Dead Sea of Dreams and to the ravine where he is being kept."


	4. A Call to Arms!

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Three**

**A Call to Arms!**

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><p>.::.<p>

_Make use of time, if thou valuest eternity._

_Yesterday cannot be recalled;_

_to-morrow cannot be assured;_

_to-day only is thine, _

_which, if thou procrastinatest, thou losest,_

_which lost is lost forever._

.::.

* * *

><p>There was no better way to describe the whole site before her apart from "chaotic". Even though there were only eleven people present, the noise they were making—with the exception of herself and Kouichi—were deafening. But even though there was a festive air about them, there was also that indescribable tension. From time to time she would catch the others glancing over at Kouichi, or at Takuya and Izumi. Whenever they would catch her watching them, they would just smile at her before returning to whatever it was they were doing before.<p>

Still, Yumi could not force herself to care...much. Her mind had only been focused on one thing, and that was Kouichi. He had been acting strange ever since he lost consciousness and woke up at the hospital and it was not just because of the sunglasses he now always wore. That was just one of them. And, also, he was being elusive and would rather stay as far away from people as possible. Including her.

It annoyed her and when she asked him if there was a problem, he merely looked at her without saying anything. Even Takuya, Izumi, and Kouji were all being tight-lipped about it. Which was also strange. They _never_ left her out of anything, especially if by 'anything' she meant Kouichi.

Yumi sighed, turning her attention back at Kouichi who was standing as far away from the noisy group, his head turned towards the open window of Takuya's house.

* * *

><p>"Hey, do you guys have any idea why they suddenly asked us to come here?" Kira Tsukiyama asked.<p>

Unlike before, when their adventures had started, he no longer resembled a gang leader. The piercings on his body were gone, along with the leather jacket that he liked to wear. Now, he looked like a regular college student wearing jeans and buttoned-up and collared shirts.

Erika Lyle shook her head. "No, not really. But I do hope we don't take too long. I have a lot of work to do today."

Erika, too, had grown. Her time in Japan had slowly, but surely, began to rub. Although she still has an accent, she can now speak fluently and understand the Japanese language without the need of an interpreter or without having a hard time to do so.

"None of them told me about it either," Junpei Shibayama shrugged.

"Me neither." Tomoki Himi chimed in. "But it seems like it's important."

Junpei turned to Tomoki and agreed, "Yeah, I got that impression from Izumi's phone call as well."

Both Junpei and Tomoki had changed as well.

Junpei looks much leaner, his hair less spikier. He doesn't shout as much when he speaks as well. One could say that it was because of Erika's presence. As for Tomoki, he is taller and his hair longer. He looks more like his brother, Yutaka. Both of them had long discarded the clothes from their adventuring days, opting for the same set of clothing as Kira.

"If it's so important, why are they making us wait?" Max Regalle asked. He was the only one in the group who hadn't changed much and who had to board a plane in order to meet up with the rest of the group. "My mom was pretty dead set against me going here. She said it was pretty dangerous these days."

"Can't really blame her," Hitakaru Juinichi said, blowing a gum bubble and popping it. His bald hair was now covered with short, spiky, brown hair. "You should have told her that you've been in more dangerous places than Japan. That would have helped."

"No, it wouldn't have. It would have only given her a heart attack and she would have probably grounded me until I'm sixty." Max huffed. "Either that or I would have ended up being sent to a psyche ward."

"It's good that you didn't tell her," Takuya said as he walked towards them, Izumi walking along side him. "We would have had to stage a prison break for you if that was the case."

"So, are you going to tell us what we're all doing here now or should we wait some more?" Kira asked, "Not that I don't enjoy everyone's company. It's just that I still have a lot left to do. College isn't a walk in the park, you know."

"Same here," Erika said, "Junpei and I still have a lot to finish before the week ends."

Takuya looked over at Izumi who nodded at him and left him alone to go fetch Kouichi. They watched as she said something to him and he scowled in reply, clearly not liking what it was he had heard.

"Kouichi...seems different." Tomoki pointed out what it was that the others were also thinking. "Did he and Yumi have a big fight?"

"Why do you ask that?" Takuya asked, looking behind his shoulders over to the youngest member of their little group.

Erika rolled her eyes, "You would have to be dumber than the dumbest person in the planet not to notice, Takuya. What do you take all of us for?"

"Yeah, the last time we got together, you couldn't separate those two even if you try," Max popped another piece of gum into his mouth. "So, what's the deal?"

"Ah, well, I'm not really the person who ought to be telling you guys that," Takuya replied, scratching his cheek while silently coming up with various things to say should the group decide to keep asking him about it. Even though Takuya could answer their question, he had promised not to say anything about why they had called for the other members of the _Spirit Shinkers_ without Duskmon's 'Go' signal.

Noticing that Takuya would not budge an inch for them, Junpei decided to ask, "So, I'm taking this isn't really a big, bad emergency."

"Oh, it is." Takuya answered, still not giving them anything beyond that.

"Then why is Yumi here?" Hitakaru asked. Then, after a moment, realization dawned upon him, "Oh, I see. It _has_ something to do _with_ Yumi and Kouichi, doesn't it."

"You could say that," It was Kouji who answered the question, having just arrived at the gathering. He nodded his greeting at Izumi and Kouichi—no, Duskmon. "Anyways, I'm here. Let's get this over and done with."

Takuya nodded as Izumi and Kouichi made their way towards them. After making sure that Kouichi—or rather, Duskmon—would not leave, Izumi walked towards Yumi and the two of them left. It was the task that was given to her by Takuya and Kouji, both of whom agreeing that it wouldn't be a good idea to let her know until after everyone was informed. As soon as Izumi and Yumi were gone, the conversation resumed...

"Okay, so what is all this about?" Junpei asked, crossing his arms but not rising from the sofa from where he sat. "I was beginning to think that—"

Whatever it was that Junpei was about to say was lost when Kouichi finally took off his sunglasses and looked at them and when everyone realized that it wasn't Kouichi they were with but Duskmon. To say that they dropped their jaws to the floor with surprise was a complete understatement.

"Oh no," Kira sunk in his seat. "Don't tell me..."

"It's _that_ kind of problem, huh?" Erika shook her head.

"Oh, it's much worse," Duskmon said, looking bored already. "Trust me."

"I thought our job was over when that whole Chronosmon business ended." Max grumbled.

"We all thought that way," Takuya said, finally taking a seat. "But, apparently, it's not. We've got a bigger problem than just an existence being erased or the Digital World falling into another one of its funks."

"How big?" Tomoki asked, pertaining to the problem that Takuya spoke of. "Bigger than that whole Chronosmon problem?"

"Try apocalyptic-big," Duskmon replied. When they just gapped at him, he went on. "It's sort of a problem that, unless fixed, would result to the end of the world."

"You mean, the end of the Digital World?" Kira asked.

Kouji shook his head, "No. Not just the Digital or the Cyber Worlds, but of all the worlds in-between. He's really talking about the apocalypse, guys. As in _the_ apocalypse. The end of every single existence in the universe and beyond."

The shocked look on their faces and their speechlessness said it all.

"You...can't be serious..." was the only thing Junpei could think of to say once Kouji, Duskmon, and Takuya had finished telling them what they were up against several minutes later. The noise that had permeated the air was gone. It was the air of silence that now covered the group. Of silence and confussion.

"So, you're saying that because of some wish that both of them unknowingly made to an unknown entity, we are now about to face what could be the biggest and greatest threat ever?" Max was incredulous. He then turned to Duskmon and said, "Kouichi, if you could hear me, let me tell you: this blows!"

"Oh, he can hear you. He can hear all of us," Duskmon assured him. "I suppose it isn't really their fault why this is going to happen. Had we all known what their parting would bring, I'm sure your future selves would have stopped Yumi and Katsuya from ever leaving the future and meeting up with you all in the first place. They would have sent someone else...probably."

"And now you want us all to leave our _normal_ lives again to go on this crazy-ass mission?" Kira asked, though he already knew what the answer to that question was.

"Yes. Or you guys could just let it all come to pass and wait for the end of the world to happen," Duskmon shrugged.

Kira could only whisper something about his college degree before he placed his head underneath a throwpillow.

"We're not really forcing any of you to come with us, but we could really use your help. After all, Sussanoomon would not appear without all of us together. And, even with our strongest digivolutions, I don't thinkthe four of us would be enough to put things to right." Takuya told them, taking up, once again, the mantle of the leader.

"So, what will it be guys?" Kouji asked.

Junpei and Tomoki both looked at each other before nodding together.

"You guys don't have to ask both of us that," Junpei said, his face showing determination and a grin.

Tomoki was grinning as well, "Yeah. Kouichi and Yumi are like part of the family now. And we both can't just wait around doing nothing."

Takuya and Kouji smiled at the two. Their minds quickly wandering back to the days of their adventures and misadventures.

"Anyone else?" Duskmon asked, clearly not walking down the same memory lane as the two.

Erika sighed, especially when Junpei gave her a look. "Well, I suppose since Junpei is going to be coming along, someone has to look after him so that he won't get himself into _too much_ trouble." a pause, followed by, "Count me in."

Junpei whooped and gave Erika a kiss.

"What about you three?" Erika asked the others who had yet to speak after Junpei had calmed down.

Kira was first to speak, "I'm sorry, but I can't. I can't go with you guys. Not this time. I worked so hard to get into college. I can't just throw it away, even if the world might end tomorrow or the day after that."

"Same goes for me," Max looked as though he didn't really want to say it, but had to. "I can't be gone for a long time and this definitely seems like a mission that can go either way. If the world has to end, I want to be with my mom. I know she's worried about me enough, even though she won't know about the whole thing, I still can't force myself to leave her by herself again. Sorry."

Takuya nodded, "We understand."

"Yeah. It would probably make things harder for us but...family matters a lot, so...we'll just have to try our hardest so that the end of the world _won't_ happen." Kouji nodded in agreement. Then turned to HItakaru who had been quite silent for a while now, "And, what about you, Hitakaru?"

"I can't really give an answer right now," Hitakaru replied. "I want to help, but at the same time I have to look after my brothers and sisters. If I can have more time to decide, then maybe I can give you a clearer answer."

"But we don't have that time," Duskmon replied. "We have to make preparations as soon as possible and we only have one shot at this, too. To get to the Dead Sea of Dreams, we're already going to have to risk Yumi's safetly once. We can't risk it any more than that."

"Then at least give me until tomorrow," Hitakaru bargained.

Duskmon was about to say something when Takuya placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Alright. Until tomorrow. We're going to meet here again,"

* * *

><p>They had been walking in silence for a while. For Yumi, the silence was deafening. For Izumi, however, it didn't really matter. Even though she was there, walking with Yumi to where their feet would carry them until Takuya calls her with his cell, her mind was elsewhere—processing all the information that Duskmon had shared with them, their plans, and everything in between. It was such a miracle that she wasn't suffering a migraine already.<p>

After a while, Yumi couldn't take it any longer.

"Why are we really out here, Izumi?" She finally asked. "First you ask me to come along to that meeting and then, when it seems like it was about to start, you yank me out of there. What's going on?"

"Hm?" Izumi was snapped from her reverie, but managed to catch what Yumi had said, "It's nothing. I just thought that we could spend some more time together, you know. A walk for just us girls."

"Then why didn't we take Erika along?"

"Um, that's because—" Izumi was about to make something up, but Yumi stopped her while also stopping dead on her tracks.

"Look, Izumi, I wasn't born yesterday." Yumi began. "I know something is up and that you and everyone else is trying to keep me in the dark. I also know that it has something to do with why Kouichi has been acting weird and avoiding me. If he wants to break up with me, for whatever reason, that's fine but I expect him to talk to me about it first. Not let his friends handle it."

"No, it's not like that, Yumi," Izumi said, surprised that Yumi actually thought Kouichi was at the verge of breaking up with her. "Kouichi isn't—nor does he have any plans—breaking up with you. It's not about that. But, you're right in thinking that it has anything to do with him. I'm not trying to keep you in the dark, either. It's just that it's so complicated that, even if you ask me to tell you now, I wouldn't be able to and you probably would have a hard time believing me as well."

Yumi stared at her. Not quick to believe what Izumi had just said.

"Trust me, Yumi." Izumi almost pleaded knowing that Kouichi would hate her should Yumi end up hating him. "We'll tell you everything, just as soon as Takuya finishes talking with everyone."

Yumi sighed.

"I'll take your word for that." was all she said before the two of them continued on with their stroll.

* * *

><p>It took a while before Yumi found her voice again, and when she did, all she could ask them was, "Is this a stupid joke?"<p>

Izumi looked worriedly at Takuya. They were back at his house and Yumi had just heard the whole story. What the whole deal was with why Kouichi was acting strange, what is going on with everyone, and what her role in all of it was. Clearly, she wasn't taking it well.

"Are you all trying to make fun of me? Really?" Yumi kept on going. "Is someone filming my reaction right now? Do you guys just have nothing else better to do."

"We're not making it up, Yumi and we're not lying either," Kouji tried his best to calm her down. "What we told you is the truth. This guy, he may look like Kouichi but he isn't. He's just borrowing his body. He's really Duskmon, a...being...from this alternate world called the Digital World. You can tell that it's not Kouichi because of his eyes."

"Contact lenses," Yumi was quick to point out how they could have achieved such a trick. "You just made him wear contact lenses."

Duskmon shook his head. He couldn't help but think how easier it was to talk to that other Yumi, the one from that alternate future.

"No, it's not," Takuya answered.

"We're telling you the truth, Yumi," Tomoki chimed in. "This isn't a game for us. And what we told you about you being some key to an apocalyptic event, that also seems to be the truth."

"Oh, please." Yumi rolled her eyes, her hands on her hips. "I wasn't born yesterday, you know."

"That's not what it looks like to me," Duskmon said, which only earned him a glare from Yumi. "It seems I was wrong about you."

"Oh yeah? Well, it seems like I was wrong about you _and _your friends, too." she was starting to get angry and was starting to think that she was wasting her time hanging around with them.

"You didn't even know everything about us until we told you," Duskmon was not about to let up and Izumi could already imagine Kouichi struggling to take back his control over his body before Duskmon says anything that would completely rip Kouichi and Yumi apart. "So, yeah...clearly, you didn't know _everything_ about us. Heck, you don' t even know everything about the world."

"You're not helping, Duskmon," Erika shook her head.

"Well, she's being hard." Duskmon said.

"_I'm_ the one who's being hard?" Yumi was almost shouting at him. "Hah! That's funny. You know what, why don't you guys give me some proof that what your saying is the truth and you're not just messing with me."

Duskmon looked intently at her before replying, "Proof? You want proof? Fine."

And before anyone could say anything or even stop him, Duskmon had already summoned his twin, crimson blades out of thin air. Everyone who were near him, including Yumi, jumped back, lest they be dismembered or impaled by his swords.

"There." He said, as if pleased at what he had managed to do. "You happy."

Yumi gulped, but even so, she wasn't convinced, "Magic trick. That's like what Junpei does with his vanishing chocolate act."

"H-how can you compare my act to _that_? " Junpei wasn't sure how Kouichi's girlfriend could say something like that. "That's a _sword_! There's no way he could have hid that under his sleeves, you know."

But Yumi would not be deterred. She kept thinking that it had to simply be a magic trick. Why they were doing this to her, however, baffled her for she couldn't come up with any explanation.

"I can't believe she thinks this is a magic trick," Duskmon shook his head before willing his swords to disappear. Although he didn't fail to notice the look of surprise on Yumi's face when he did. "Fine. I'm not really sure if this is going to work but...what the hell. Let's take it up a notch."

Just then there was a chill in the air and a foreboding feeling crept upon their spine. Darkness descended upon them, covering the whole leaving room. Surprisingly for everyone, they could still see themselves and the others with them quite perfectly, like they all have lights within them. And then, before they know it, Duskmon was holding a crimson colored ball of energy, the foreboding feeling was clearly coming from it.

"Duskmon, how did you do that?" Takuya asked, gawking. "You've never done that before, right?"

Duskmon shrugged, "Doesn't really matter. The little princess wants proof. Well, here's your proof."

And with that, he hurled the energy ball into the other side of the room. Upon contact, it exploded causing debris to fly all around them. And then, the darkness was gone and in its place was Takuya's dilapidated living room.

"Proof enough for you?" He asked Yumi.

"H-how d-did you..."

But Yumi wasn't able to finish her question, because at the same time—when realization dawned upon Takuya—he screamed out, "What the hell did you do to my living room?"

Suffice to say, Takuya had a hard time explaining to his parents why their living room suddenly had a large, gaping hole in it.

The good thing was, Yumi finally believed their story.


	5. Moments

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Four**

**Moments**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_But what minutes!_

_Count them by sensation, and not by calendars,_

_and each moment is a day and the race a life._

.::.

* * *

><p>"I wish I could punch him right now," Growled Takuya as he stared at the hole in his living room that his parents had tasked him to fix. "He didn't have to destroy my house. I mean, didn't he even think twice about what kind of trouble I would end up in?"<p>

"Calm down, Takuya," Izumi said as she began to massage his shoulders, trying hard to take the tension from his body—along with his frustration—away. "I'm sure Duskmon didn't mean to get you in trouble. He could have just forgotten about being inside your house in the heat of his argument with Yumi."

"Hah! Now _that's_ funny, Izumi," he said as he turned around to face her, then pointed over at the hole, as if that was enough of an argument. "I'm sure he could have thought of some other way to show Yumi that we weren't lying or making stuff up. But, no. He decided to redecorate my family's living room and now I'm stuck here, on a _Saturday_, trying to fix it with _my_ money. He didn't even bother to give me a hand. Heck, none of them did. Where did all the team work go? Isn't this supposed to be a one-for-all, all-for-one kind of thing?"

"It is," Izumi told him. "While we're here trying to fix your living room, they're preparing for our journey. Besides," she paused before wrapping her arms around him, "think of it this way: at least we got the house all to ourselves."

Takuya raised an eyebrow at her. "Why do you make it sound like that's a good thing?"

"I'd like to think it is," was her reply. "I can think of a lot of reasons why, too."

"Such as?"

Izumi kissed him on the lips and he kissed back. But she didn't let him kiss her for long as she gently pushed him away. With a knowing smile on her face she said, "Fix the house first. Then I'll tell you."

* * *

><p>"So, you're <em>not<em> human," Yumi asked as she sat a ways away from Duskmon who was still using Kouichi's body.

"I thought we had already established that fact," Duskmon replied.

Both of them were at the mall, buying provisions that they would need on their adventure along with Junpei and Erika. Of course, they had merely taken a breather, resting at one of the coffee shops available to them while the other couple continued on with shopping. If he had known that Yumi would have pestered him with questions, he would have volunteered to help Takuya fix his house. Although, whether or not Izumi would let him, was another matter entirely. He seemed to sense that Izumi wanted to have Takuya for herself the whole day...

Duskmon shook his head. _I don't care what those two do at their free time._

"And you're only using Kouichi's body...why is that?" Yumi asked, not letting up.

He sighed, "Weren't you listening when they told you the whole story? It's because Kouichi's the Bearer of the Spirit of Darkness and, even if someone does come along to become the new bearer, Kouichi would be the only one who can 'house' my spirit because he is the last one to ever make use of the tainted Spirit of Darkness, which is what I am."

"No, I get that part. What I don't get is why Kouichi can do that. Why can't Takuya, Izumi, Kouji, or the others let themselves be possessed by whatever spirits they bear?" Yumi asked, she looked so serious with her question that one would have thought they were talking about physics or something equally scientific.

"That's because Kouichi is different."

"Different? How?"

He could hear Kouichi telling him not to say anything more. But, Duskmon would not have it. She—Yumi—needs to know everything there is to know about the worlds that they would be rescuing, the past that each of them have, their adventures, Duskmon firmly believes that. Though he may not say it, nor express it, he sees that Yumi is, indeed, a good match for Kouichi. Despite that, he also thinks that their romance—if that was what humans call it—was a big mistake.

_Be a man, Kouichi._ He telepathically told him. _If you truly care about her then you will not keep any secrets from her._

"Yoo-hoo!" Yumi waved her hand in front of his face to snap him from his thoughts, "Are you still there _Mr-Tainted-Spirit-of-Darkness_?"

Duskmon scowled, "Stop that!"

She crossed her arms and waited for his answer.

Another sigh escape his lips. "Kouichi is different because, unlike the others, he had traversed the Digital World with only the use of his soul. Meaning to say, he didn't have his physical body along with him."

She looked at him skeptically. "Without a body? Like a ghost?"

Duskmon nodded, "Pretty much. Long story short, when he came back to his body, I was dragged along with it because back then he also became my personification. He was me; I was him."

"So, Kouichi isn't a normal person."

"The same could be said about you."

Yumi glared at him but didn't speak her mind until after she had drank from her cup, "You know, you're such a good a cheerful conversationalist, Dusky."

"Don't call me _that!_"

* * *

><p>"Hey, Kouji, mind if I ask you something?" Tomoki asked as they waited for their turn at the cash registrar.<p>

"Sure." was Kouji's reply while he silently prayed that the cashier would speed things up a bit. "What is it?"

"Does it bother you that you're the only one in our group who doesn't have a girlfriend?" it was a surprising question coming from Tomoki, and Kouji didn't bother to hide his surprise.

"W-w-what are you talking about?" was the only thing he could think of to say in reply.

"I mean, you always hang out with Kouichi and Takuya and both of them have a girlfriend—Yumi and Izumi," Tomoki stated.

"I-is there an actual point to this question, Tomoki?" He wanted to hit the kid at the back of the head for asking him that question.

Tomoki thought for a moment, oblivious to what his question had caused to Kouji, before he shrugged and replied, "Not really. Just curious because Kai and Runa both have girlfriends, too and I'm kind of the only one in our group who doesn't and so I was wondering if you feel jealous of them, too, since you don't usually show anyone how you feel, you know. You like to keep it bottled inside and—"

"—and this really isn't the kind of topic you would want to talk about out in public, Tomoki," Kouji added hastily as he saw one of their classmates. He didn't want any gossip, regarding himself, to start.

Tomoki looked over at him and shrugged, "Fair enough."

* * *

><p>"So, we're back to saving the world...again." Erika sighed.<p>

"Yup," Junpei replied.

"Is this really how it's going to be until they find another batch of _Spirit Shinkers_?"

"Pretty much, yeah..."

"And you're not the least bit worried that we won't be able to stop the apocalypse from raining down on us?"

"Not really," Junpei answered, his focus was more on the dozens of shopping bags Erika had asked him to carry. "It would all work out. Like always."

"And if it doesn't?"

"Then it doesn't. At least we did our best."

Erika stopped for a second and looked over at Junpei, "You know, you're starting to sound a lot like Takuya."

Junpei almost dropped all of the bags, "Don't even joke about that. We may no longer have that rivalry going on between us, but I wouldn't like people to think that there's anything that's similar between the two to be thought of as similar as him."

"Is it really such a bad thing, Junpei?" Erika asked.

Junpei thought for a moment. He didn't really dislike Takuya, per se. But he just couldn't get beyond that one-sided rivalry he had with him. For some reason or another, he always finds himself annoyed of Takuya. Although there were times when annoyance turns into awe.

After a while he just shrugged. They were no longer kids, he knew that, but he supposed that some things will never change.


	6. To the Dead Sea of Dreams!

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic **

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future <strong>

**Chapter Five **

**To the Dead Sea of Dreams!**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

In the darkest attics of our minds,

all times mingle.

.::.

* * *

><p>Takuya was in a very, very bad mood even after having been able to fix the damn hole that Duskmon had blasted in his living room. Just when he was about to get that 'reward' that Izumi had promised to give him for his hard day's work, his friends just had to come back from their shopping trip. Of course, when asked why he was in a sour mood, he couldn't tell them the truth, which added more to his frustration.<p>

"So, anyway, what are we going to do now? Just wait for a door to magically transport us to the Dead Sea of Dreams?" Junpei asked as he munched on the potato chips that Izumi and Erika had opened up for the group.

"We don't wait for it. We make one ourselves," Duskmon replied, still choosing not to sit around them.

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Takuya asked, his tone was snarky that Izumi ended up elbowing him in his stomach with a condemning look on her face. Takuya grumbled but decided not to repeat his question in a different tone.

If Duskmon was annoyed with the tone Takuya had used with him, he didn't show it. Instead, he answered, "We seek the help of the ones from the Dead Sea of Dreams to create a connection between them and Yumi."

"So, you're going to be using me?" Yumi crossed her arms. Though Duskmon didn't put it that way, she knew he meant it as such.

"If you want to be technical about it, yes." was Duskmon's reply. "You are an existence who is an anomaly that creates another anomaly in the Dead Sea of Dreams. Those who are there can help create the bridge between the anomaly that is you and the other anomaly that is luring you there."

"That's going to be risky and dangerous," Kouji bit the nail on his thumb, "We could end up sending Yumi to the very enemy we're trying to protect her from."

"Not," Duskmon said, "if we keep her anchored."

Everyone had the same confused expression etched on their faces which caused the Digimon Spirit currently occupying Kouichi's body to sigh. Must I feed every bit of information to these people? What happened to the ingenuity that they had showed me and the rest of the Digital and Cyber World? Peace truly dulls the blade...

He then pointed at Takuya and then at Izumi, then said, "You two have to keep her grounded. Hold her down, if you must. Just make sure that her consciousness—her soul—stays tethered to her body. That's what really important: Her soul."

They looked blankly at him.

"That's it?" Tomoki asked.

"What?" Duskmon raised an eyebrow, "Did you expect something complicated?"

They all looked at each other and nodded, sharing the same sentiment.

"Well, yeah," Izumi was the first to speak. "This is the Digital World we're talking about. Nothing is ever simple when it comes to things related to that world."

"And," continued Junpei, "If it were simple, we'd end up facing a complication anyway. Not once had something happen according to plan, after all."

"Wow," Yumi said as she heard their words, "you guys sure have an amazing positive attitude about this."

"Just stating the truth, Yumi," Erika said as she flicked her hair back, "It's all base from our experience and, if you end up remembering what we have to go through when you and your brother were with us, you'd understand where we're all coming from with this."

Yumi stared at her, her expression dead-panned. "I don't have a brother."

Erika was about to tell her that that wasn't always true but Duskmon stopped her. Yumi didn't need to hear that. At least, not yet and especially not before they started with that bridge. The knowledge that she has—or had—a twin brother might be too much and might only cause her to think about 'What ifs' something that wasn't safe to do with their current predicament. Their enemy would only need to use that to lure her. Plus, it was pretty bothersome no matter how Duskmon looked at it.

"We need to find a way to contact the other Takuya," Duskmon said. "Or maybe I should say _I _need to find a way to contact him; to reach out to him and let him know what we're planning to do. That is, unless he already knows."

"I'm willing to bet he already has an idea," Izumi said, though she didn't say it simply because they were talking about Takuya. Regardless of what others may say, the Takuya she has with her and the Takuya in the Dead Sea of Dreams were completely different people. "After all, he insinuated about you."

Duskmon nodded, but only because he knew that that Takuya knew of his existence still. _And he knows that I'm..._

But before Duskmon could complete that thought, he quickly shook it away. Now wasn't the time—or so he tells himself. Instead, he focused on thinking of a way to contact the person in question. It didn't take long for an idea to pop into his head.

"I think I got it," Duskmon said, "but it might take a while."

* * *

><p>Duskmon sighed as he failed to connect with the Cyber World for the umpteenth time. Night had fallen and all of his companions were already fast asleep in Takuya's living room, his family having agreed to let everyone stay for the night, not knowing the real reason why as Takuya only told them that it had been a while since they had all been together. If Takuya's family knew the truth, Duskmon was pretty sure that (1) they wouldn't believe them, (2) they'll have everyone visit a shrink, (3) all hell would break lose.<p>

Duskmon knew that time was running out. For him, most of all. He could only keep his hold on Kouichi's body for so long before Kouichi's consciousness takes over once again. And, once that has happened, he was confident that Kouichi would not let him out again, unless he needed something big—something that only Duskmon would be able to do.

It would have been easy, Duskmon believed, if the _Spirit Shinkers_ still had their Digi-Spirits with them. If they could still control the spirits. But, their time as bearers are over and those days, and their power, will never return. This whole battle that stretched before them would need to be won by their own power. It was going to be hard, nay, impossible but Duskmon firmly believed that if anyone could do it, Takuya and his group can. They had, after all, made the impossible possible, time and time again.

But, to be able to move forward, he would have to create that bridge. A bridge that could easily have been called forth if they still had their digivices and their spirits.

He laughed a little to himself, remembering how everyone thought that nothing would be easy for them. _They got that right..._

His eyes then lingered to the door leading to Takuya's room. The room that the girls had been given to sleep in. His eyebrows furrowed as he could feel a change in the air. It was subtle but he knew it was there and the magic along with it—if that was what you would want to call it. But, no matter what Duskmon named it, the pull that their enemy has with Yumi was at work once more.

Duskmon could feel Yumi's consciousness fighting against the call. It would be risky, but Duskmon saw this as the opportune moment. Their enemy had created the bridge, if he could just hijack it and connect it to somewhere far away from the monster then perhaps...

Without thinking twice, Duskmon resumed his meditation and went on with his plan. Splitting his consciousness into two—one to concentrate with the hijacking, while the other controlled the body to wake everyone up—Duskmon made his move.

* * *

><p>Izumi woke up with a start. Blinking, her eyes adjusted to the dark only to see Takuya leaning at her with a serious expression on his face. He didn't need to tell her why he had woken her up in that god-forsaken hour. His face told him enough. It was time.<p>

Quickly she rose as Takuya whispered to her to wake the other girls up. She nodded and he went back out of the room.

It didn't take long for everyone to be gathered around Duskmon. His crimson eyes glowed eerily, his whole face being silhouetted by the bright portal that swished and swirled behind him. Marks that looked like red, glowing tribal paintings of an eye rested on his forehead. They were even present on his shoulders and his chest even with his shirt on. It was disconcerting seeing Kouichi looking the way he did and Izumi knew she wasn't the only one thinking that.

"Is that—?" Yumi asked, her voice barely a whisper but the sleepiness that was with her was slowly being driven away.

Izumi nodded. "Duskmon did it."

She had a hard time waking Yumi up. She made a mental note of telling Duskmon about that and how disoriented Yumi was when she wake up. Izumi had a feeling that she knew why, though.

Duskmon looked over at Yumi and then said to everyone, "Get through the portal quickly. The bridge is starting to close and I can't hold it open forever."

True enough, the portal did seem smaller than it was mere seconds ago.

Takuya nodded at him then looked over at Kouji. The two exchange looks before Takuya turned to face Izumi and said, "I'll see you on the other side." Then he ran towards the portal and jumped in, Kouji following close behind him like a Lieutenant to his Captain. Tomoki soon ran after them, jumping into the portal with a grin on his face, probably thinking of what this new adventure would bring.

"Well, let's get this over with," Junpei said, grinning at Erika.

Erika sighed before taking Junpei's hand and the two of them ran towards the portal together. Soon it was just the three of them: Izumi, Yumi, and Duskmon who looked as though it was beginning to be a chore keeping the portal open.

"Go on ahead, Izumi," Duskmon said, "Yumi has to be the last one to enter."

Izumi wanted to protest but chose not to. Duskmon knew what he was doing and she was certain that he wouldn't do anything that would put Yumi in any uneccesary danger. And so, Izumi nodded, repeating the same words that Takuya had told her to Yumi who looked pale and shaken by what was happening. Izumi couldn't blame her though...

Once they were alone, Duskmon walked towards Yumi carefully, knowing that she felt disturbed to see him—Kouichi—looking like this. His crimson eyes never left her face as he tentatively took one step after another.

"So...I have to step through that?" Yumi asked, her voice shaky. She tried to hide it by laughing. "Where _exactly_ will it take us to?"

"The Dead Sea of Dreams, hopefully as far away from that thing that wants to take you away," Duskmon replied, standing just within arm's reach from Yumi.

"Are you sure?" Yumi asked.

Duskmon shrugged, "Something can always go wrong as soon as we step through the gate." he paused then cocked his head, "Are you frightened?"

Yumi huffed, crossed her arms then said, "I would have to be stupid not to be."

He couldn't help but laugh and the sound of his laughter surprised Yumi. He sounded so much like Kouichi that it was hard to tell that they were different people.

When Duskmon's laughter subsided, he turned to face the shrinking portal. "For someone who's being dragged reluctantly to a world she does not know anything about, you sure are brave Yumi Akibara." he looked at her from the corner of his eyes before giving her his hand to take. "You don't need to worry, though. I'll make sure to keep you safe. Now let's go before the portal closes itself."

Yumi stared at Duskmon's outstretched hand. She really didn't want to take it. All she wanted was for this whole thing to be a dream but she knew, deep within her, that it wasn't. With a sigh of resignation, she took Duskmon's hand and together they jumped through the portal, just in time before it closed leaving the Kanbara residence covered in darkness and its inhabitants none the wiser.


	7. Losing Daybreak

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Quick Note:<strong>

Okay, just wanna let you guys know that I have added a new category in my blog: Sakura no Kokoro where I will answer any question you might have and reply to reviews I receive from the stories and fan fiction I have scattered around the net. Just an FYI. Now, enjoy the new chapter. :D

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Six**

**Losing Daybreak**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_Touch us gently, Time!_

_Let us glide adown thy stream_

_Gently,—as we sometimes glide_

_Through a quiet dream!_

.::.

* * *

><p>His head felt muddled, his body battered and all he could do was push himself to his back and groan. He didn't bother to open his eyes. His head was still spinning and opening them will only make him want to puke his guts out.<p>

His previous experience of going from one world to another had never been that bad. Well, that is, if you exclude that nasty accident he was in while trying to follow his twin brother. Not that he actually _felt_ himself getting to the Digital World.

Even though it had been a long while since then, he still couldn't help but shudder at the memory of what could have happened if the others had not been there to save him. Would Duskmon have completely taken control over him? Would he no longer exist as Kouichi Kimura? Would he, instead, ended up being a Digimon—a form of data in a world where everything _is_ made up of bits and bytes?

_Stop_. He told himself, chiding how he could have allowed those thoughts to even enter his mind. _Now is not the time._

Slowly he opened his eyes to find himself looking up at a peculiar-looking sky. He frowned, it was not the same sky he had seen when he had traversed the Dead Sea of Dreams.

"What the heck was that?" Yumi's voice sounded louder than it normally was, and it ringed in Kouichi's head making him groan once more.

Slowly pushing himself to a sitting position, he looked over at the girl who had fallen a little bit away from him, sitting on her haunches, cradling her right arm.

"Where are we?" She looked around before turning her question and her attention towards Kouichi.

The guarded look she had on her face told him that she still thought he was Duskmon. But, instead of clearing that up, Kouichi went on to answer, "We're in the Dead Sea of Dreams...I think."

"You..._think_?" Kouichi could not help but notice the ice that had accompanied her words. "What do you mean you _think_? You sounded so sure before that the Dead Sea of Dreams is where we were going to end up! Not only that, Dusky but, Takuya and the others are not here!"

"Yumi, I'm—"

"I'm not going to listen to your excuses, Duskmon." She said as she pushed herself up, wincing as she cradled her arm.

Kouichi sighed.

Before, when Duskmon takes control of his body, marking would appear on his face and his arms which makes it easier for people to differentiate him and Duskmon. But, after saving Takuya from being erased from existence—and saving the world, _again, _in the process—only the crimson eyes remained as a tall-tale sign of who was inhabiting his body: himself or the Tainted Spirit of Darkness.

He didn't know what was worse: that Yumi couldn't tell that it was him and not Duskmon, or if he was wishing that whenever Duskmon would take over his body, that all the signs and markings that were there before would return and show themselves, like he was already accepting that there was no way to stop the said Digimon Spirit from inhabiting his body.

With another sigh escaping his lips, Kouichi rose up and walked over to where Yumi was standing, "You're hurt," was all he said.

The caress in his voice surprised Yumi, causing her to look at him—really look at him—and it was then that she noticed that the eyes that were staring back at her were no longer eerily crimson but were a dark shade of brown.

"Kouichi?" Yumi asked, breathing out his name. "You're Kouichi now, right?"

Kouichi gave her a small smile, "Yeah, that's what I've been trying to tell you."

It was Yumi's turn to breathe out a sigh of relief, her shoulders slumping as if the tension that she had been holding in, causing her to be rigid around him, dissipated. It was clear that, although she could stand her ground with Duskon, his girlfriend was unnerved by him.

"I'm glad you're back," she said. "Being with Duskmon was...strange."

"He can hear you, you know." Kouichi informed her. "Even though I am...me...again, Duskmon can still hear and see what's happening around unless he chose not to or he is...sleeping. The same works for me when he's the one controlling my body."

"Oh." Yumi didn't know how to process that new information about her boyfriend.

"And, I'm not sure if I am happy that he left me my body just when we've entered the Dead Sea of Dreams...if this is the Dead Sea..." Kouichi went on, oblivious of how that made Yumi feel. "It doesn't look like the Dead Sea that I remember. It doesn't feel like that Dead Sea as well."

"You don't think we got sent to a different place, do you?" Worry became evident in Yumi as she spoke.

Kouichi didn't know how to answer and, try as he may to contact Duskmon, he couldn't reach him. Whatever Duskmon did to open up that portal took a toll in him and made him weak—at least, that was what Kouichi believed at that point in time.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Yumi asked.

"Right now, we have to tend to your arm," Kouichi said, knowing that Yumi needed first aid and knowing that he had to think up a plan and figure out where the hell they ended up in.

* * *

><p>"This is bad," Takuya had been pacing back and forth, wearing the ground out, "This is really, <em>really<em> bad."

He and Izumi were both standing in the last place they both expected to find themselves at: the Shibuya Train Station—the place where their fates were woven and intertwined. Not only that but, except for the few passers-by and random people waiting for their time to board the train, none of their friends who had agreed to help were with them. How the few people around them failed to notice their sudden appearance was beyond them as well.

"Takuya..."

Izumi tried to calm her boyfriend down, but to no avail. Takuya merely continued on with his pacing and voicing out his thoughts.

"What the heck happened? Did Duskmon made a mistake? Where did the others end up in?" Takuya went on. "Why did we end up here? Were we supposed to end up here? Is there something here we need to do or did Duskmon really just made a huge mistake with whatever it was he did?"

Takuya then stopped, turned around, and Izumi saw a horrified expression on his face.

"What if we're the only ones left behind? What if the others managed to get to the Dead Sea of Dreams?"

"Takuya, you really should take a breath and calm down. Nothing will change with you pacing around and worrying yourself like a madman."

"How can you ask me to 'calm down', Izumi?" Takuya ran a hand over his messy hair, "We don't even know what happened to them. They could be in danger for all we know."

Izumi sighed. She was used to this side of Takuya and she couldn't really blame him for how he was acting. Instead of arguing with him, she merely took her phone from her pocket, showing it to him. Takuya looked at her with an expressionless face, not comprehending what she intended to do with the phone which only made Izumi want to slap him at the back of his head.

"You don't have to make things complicated, you know." Was all she said before she punched a few keys, put the phone to her ear and waited until someone picked it up.

"Where are you guys?" Junpei was shouting that Izumi winced as she placed some distance between her ear and the phone.

"That's what I was calling to ask you, Junpei." Izumi replied, her voice calm.

"Erika and I ended up at the park, just outside of Shibuya Station," Junpei's voice was dripping with annoyance.

"We're in Shibuya Station," Izumi answered Junpei's earlier question. "Do you have any idea where Kouji and Tomoki might have ended up?"

"I called 'em when Erika and I realized where we were," Junpei answered. "They said they ended up inside a train heading for, get this, Yokohama!"

"They're inside a moving train?" Izumi couldn't believe what Junpei had just old her.

Takuya cocked an eyebrow up. Izumi shook her head. She was as surprised and confused as him. Just then Takuya's phone rang. He took a quick look at the screen before he took the call. Izumi heard him call the caller "Kouji".

"Yeah," he answered from the other end of the line. "They're going to make a trip back. They were supposed to meet us here. I can call him and tell him to just meet all of us there at the station."

"No need," Izumi informed him. "Takuya's on the phone with him now."

"What about Kouichi and Yumi?" Junpei asked, thinking that Izumi would have first called them.

"Haven't called them yet," Izumi answered. "I just hope that Duskmon just messed up and teleported all of us around Shibuya Station and that those two aren't sent on a different world."

Just then Takuya spoke to her, "Kouji can't reach Kouichi or Yumi's phone."

Putting the phone down, Izumi looked at Takuya and asked, "And he's worried? They could have just landed somewhere where there's no phone signal."

"I told him that." Takuya sighed, finally opting to sit down beside Izumi. "He said that if that was the case, one of them would have called us first..."

They were silent for a while, letting those words sink in.

Izumi was the first to break the silence, "He thinks Duskmon succeeded but only in bringing the two of them to the Dead Sea of Dreams?"

"Kouji thinks Duskmon planned it to go that way," Takuya said before looking at her directly. His face was filled with seriousness and anger flickered in his gaze. "He thinks that Duskmon plans to sacrifice Yumi just to keep time and space from going out of balance. He thinks Duskmon plans to return Yumi to where she really belongs..."

* * *

><p>With one of their problems solved by having Yumi's arm in a make-shift sling, Kouichi and Yumi began looking around for their friends.<p>

The place they found in, however, was not a hard place to search for anyone—much less anything. If there was one thing both Kouichi and Yumi could say about the place they landed in—if there was one thing they could both use as an adjective for it—it would have been barren.

There was nothing, absolutely _nothing_ around them. No buildings or any other architectural structures. No trees whether they be lush and vegetative or merely dead stumps. There weren't even any rocks—big or small—or even a pebble. Everything was just plain and boring and was the color of predawn light. The sky was eerily the same color, making everything as far as the eye could see never-ending. The moon, which was their only source of light, glowed with a haunting shade of red.

_A blood red moon._ Kouichi thought grimly as he became more and more certain that there was no living thing around.

It unnerved Kouichi, looking at that moon. For some reason, he couldn't help but feel a burning sense of dread that something bad was going to happen. It didn't help that he still couldn't speak with Duskmon. Though worried and scared, Kouichi tried his best to hide his emotions under a façade of complete confidence. Yumi was already scared as it was and he couldn't bear to show her any form or sign of weakness on his part. He had to be strong, confident, and courageous for the both of them. No, not "had". He _needed_ to be all of those things.

"We're not going anywhere." Whined Yumi as she slumped in the ground, wincing as the action jostled her either broken or sprained arm. "Nothing and no one's around!"

"They could have been transported somewhere else," Kouichi said calmly, although inside he was not sure what to do or what to think. "All we can do now is keep moving forward. We have to find a place to rest. Wait it out until morning comes. It's not..safe...both in the Digital World and, I think, even in the Dead Sea of Dreams to be out at night..."

"What do you mean 'it's not safe'? Don't tell me someone's going to attack us out here..." Yumi looked around, trying to to jump at every shadow she sees.

"Who knows," Kouichi answered, lending Yumi a hand as he pulled her up to his feet and the two of them began looking for a place to stay the night. "But, if my experience is of any help, there's a high probability that that would happen. I mean, I was once _him_ you know."

"Him?"

"Duskmon." Kouichi asked after a moment's hesitation. "He already told you that he's the Tainted Spirit of Darkness, right?"

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with what you just said?" Yumi asked. "Did you fight all the bad guys that came out at night to play?"

"...Not exactly," was all Kouichi was willing to say.

The tone of his voice caused Yumi to quit pursuing the topic and the two relapsed in a sort-of guarded silence.

* * *

><p>"You don't actually believe that. Do you, Kouji?" Tomoki asked as he watched his companion staring out the window. "What you told Takuya."<p>

"What makes you think that I don't believe what I had just told him?" Kouji retorted, not looking at Tomoki.

"Because I don't believe that to even be remotely possible." Tomoki replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Duskmon would never do something like that behind our backs. He wouldn't trick us like that."

It was then that Kouji looked at Tomoki. He couldn't believe what the younger _Spirit Shinker_ had just said. Surely he didn't mean to say that he truly trusts the said Digimon. Afterall, Duskmon had tried killing them in more than one instance. It was not beyond the nature of the Tainted Spirit of Darkness to lie and cheat and backstab his way into anything.

_But he did save everyone during that whole fiasco with Chronosmon. He kept Takuya from disappearing and he kept your twin brother alive, too._ A voice at the back of his head told him. He didn't listen to what that voice had to say, though.

Tomoki seem to know what he was thinking, because he didn't wait for Kouji to speak. "He's not the same...person...he was before. He's not the Duskmon that once tried to kill us all back in the Digital World, Kouji. I think...he really cares about your brother's well-being, and his happiness, even if he doesn't show it."

"What? Are you a psychologist now, Tomoki?" Kouji couldn't help but be snarky. He was not in a pleasant mood.

"No. I just learned to pay attention more." Tomoki replied, giving Kouji a small smile. "Duskmon wouldn't have helped us out—helped Kouichi out—if he was only thinking of himself. He wouldn't have told us what he knew about what's going on if he was planning on handing Yumi over to whatever entity it is that we're now up against. Besides, it seems like that other Takuya vouched for him."

"So, you're saying you trust him, too?" Kouji asked, his eyes boring down at the young bearer of the Spirit of Ice.

"I don't trust him completely." Tomoki replied, making himself comfortable in his seat. "But I do trust that he won't put Kouichi and Yumi in danger...at least, not knowingly."

* * *

><p>He had always been amused when humans wonder if other creatures, besides them, dream. He didn't know what made them think that they were the only ones whose mind could allow to dream. Even though Kouichi had never asked him directly what it was he does when he could not contact him, Duskmon knew that the young human was curious. He knew that Kouichi wonders the same thing: Does he, Duskmon, dream?<p>

The answer to that unasked question was, of course, a yes. Although, Duskmon couldn't remember when it was he actually had a dream like this.

As a spirit, before he was bound to Kouichi Kimura, before he was Duskmon, the Spirit of Darkness was free. His consciousness could fade in and out of existence as he wills it. He can do whatever the hell it was that he wanted, whether it be helping the Spirit of Light or merely floating around, being dragged to wherever the wind would take him. Although, technically, the Spirit of Wind had nothing to do with where he ended up next. Unless he was needed and called for, the Spirit of Darkness would merely be in a slumber, his consciousness in a plane where only the Spirits could enter.

However, ever since the Spirit of Darkness was tainted and his existence came, Duskmon had only watched as the others gathered in that plane. It was the only thing he could do. There were no contact between him and the other spirits. And he watched as slowly their numbers dwindled to only five and even soon that five disappeared as Takuya and the other _Spirit Shinkers_ took hold of them and the Spirits allowed them to use their powers.

But now, Duskmon found himself in that familiar circle. Not just watching but participating. He was not outside the circle, he was _in_ it and of it. It felt...strange...Welcoming, even.

"How long are you going to keep staring like that, Duskmon?" the familiar voice of Lowemon asked him.

"I—what am I doing here?" Duskmon could only ask. It was a logical question to ask, too. After all, he couldn't remember how he ended up there. All he could remember was he and Yumi taking a step into the portal and then...nothing. "I shouldn't be here."

"But you are," Lobomon said, "And rightly so. We have a bone to pick with you."

At hearing those words from the Spirit of Light, Grumblemon burst out laughing. "That's a good one, Lobomon! 'A bone to pick with you'! Nice one!"

Lobomon glared at Grumblemon and mentally slapped himself. The Spirit of Earth had been enjoying puns ever since he had returned to their circle.

"I have to admit, that was funny." Kazemon said as she fluttered down towards where the others were gathering. "You should really be careful with your words, Lobomon."

"Yes, yes..." Lobomon waved their laughter off, "I will try to remember that. Anyways, we're wasting time. Let's get this over with. Agunimon!"

"No need to shout, Lobomon." Agunimon appeared in a burst of flame. Duskmon could not help but notice how everyone's eyes rolled over.

_Clearly, Agunimon has a thing for being flashy...who would have thought?_ For some reason, Duskmon couldn't remember if Agunimon had been like that since the beginning.

Agunimon then turned his attention at Duskmon and he spoke as soon as everyone had gathered. "You've made a big mistake, Duskmon."

Duskmon crossed his arms. "Yes. I've made quite a lot of those for a while. What is this about? What mistake could you possibly be talking about, Agunimon."

"The portal," Mercurymon was the one to answer. "You opened the wrong portal, Duskmon."

"What do you mean I made a mistake with the portal?" Duskmon couldn't keep himself from shouting the question out. It was impossible. He was certain that there would be no errors, no room for mistakes when trying to build the bridge to the Dead Sea of Dreams. But here he was, with the other Spirits, and they were telling him that he did made a mistake.

"I meant exactly what I said," Mercurymon said, holding his ground. "You thought that by using the girl—Yumi—you would have a free pass to the Dead Sea of Dreams where both you and the real Yumi Kanbara should be. You believed that since you are also a part of the anomaly that is causing this new problem, that you can use both yourself and the girl into coaxing the door to the Dead Sea of Dreams to open. You took a chance that the enemy will notice and that the enemy would be the one to open the portal, and you made it seem like those in the Dead Sea of Dreams are actually helping you, when, in reality, that is not the case."

Duskmon didn't say anything, he merely balled his fists.

"That was your first mistake," Mercurymon went on when he didn't hear another outburst from Duskmon. "You second mistake was jumping into the portal with Yumi and jumping as the last pair!"

"I don't understand, how can that be a mistake?"

"The portal it resonated with both you and Yumi—the two anomalies, the paradoxes." It was Lowemon who spoke next. The way he spoke made Duskmon think that the others had discussed about his apparent mistake even before he came to. "Since the portal did that, one of you should have stepped in first and the other one, last. That way, whoever stepped inside the portal after you would have been taken to where the other end of the portal had opened."

"As it happened, you both stepped into the portal last." It was Beetlemon who continued where Lowemon left off. "Because of that, the others were all transported somewhere else while only you and Yumi ended up where the portal intended to take you. Isn't that right, Mercurymon?"

Duskmon looked at Mercurymon who nodded. He found it hard to tell what the Spirit of Metal's expression was, but he couldn't help but think that he was taunting and making fun of him. It made Duskmon annoyed, so much so that he contemplated on what the consequences should be if he decides to just call forth his twin swords and wipe that—was that a smirk?—off of Mercurymon's face.

"You're not allowed to fight here," Arbormon whispered to him.

"W-what?" That took Duskmon by surprised. "I wasn't—"

"Oh, come on now, Dusky," Ranamon said, a playful grin on her face. "We all know what that look means. Mercurymon is just messing with you. Although, what he does say is true."

Duskmon gritted his teeth, not bothering to understand what exactly Ranamon had just said. One word had caught his attention, and he hated it. He hated being called that. "Stop calling me 'Dusky'!"

"Chill, Duskmon. Chill." Kumamon told him, grinning as well.

"Can we get back to the program, please." Agunimon said, sounding impatient at the playful banter the other Spirits had been in. "This is a serious problem."

One look from Agunimon caused Mercurymon to continue from where he had left off. "—Because you and Yumi were the ones who, technically, opened the gate. One of you should be the ones to close it. Because both of you stepped in at the same time, the gate simultaneously opened and closed. The others who stepped in before you all ended up in the Shibuya area."

"The Shibuya area? Why there?" Duskmon asked.

"Because that's where the split in history opened. That's where the Dead Sea of Dreams first opened and closed." Mercurymon replied a-matter-of-factly. "Anyways, because of your little blunder, both Yumi and Kouichi are now in the Dead Sea of Dreams. What's more, your own manipulating backfired. They're not only in the Dead Sea of Dreams but they are also just a short ways away from the ravine. Away from him."

The strings of profanity that flew out of Duskmon's mouth could have made it to the Guianese Book of World Records. The others didn't stop him, though. Truth be told, they had unleashed their own barrage of cuss words the moment they realized what Duskmon had done.

When Duskmon had finally calmed down just enough for conversation to resume, he asked, "So, what now?"

"We have to make sure that they don't end up in his lair. Otherwise, Yumi will be done for...and that would be the end of everything." Lobomon pointed out the obvious course of action.

"...And you have to go back. Help then get out of the predicament they are in." Agunimon added. "You have to make sure that they meet with the person whom they are supposed to meet there."

"And that person being her father? The other Takuya?" Duskmon asked, wanting to clarify what he knew.

To his surprise, Agunimon shook his head. "No. Not him. Someone else."

"Who?" Duskmon asked.

But, before he could hear Agunimon's answer, Agunimon and the other Spirits suddenly disappeared in a way that it seemed like they were never there to begin with.


	8. The Valkyries

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

Sorry for the delay. I've been busy with my book that's about to be published and the fact that I am having a hard time with my left hand (which is in a brace-support-thing) is not helping me update my fics faster.

I promise to try to upload again soon, though!

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Seven**

**The Valkyries**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_Like the leaves of the forest when summer is green,_

_That host with their banners at sunset were seen;_

_Like the leaves of the forest when autumn hath blown,_

_That host on the morrow lay wither'd and strown._

.::.

* * *

><p>They weren't expecting this. Not at all.<p>

When time suddenly seemed to stop, they thought that their "other selves", those versions of themselves that were sent to the Dead Sea of Dreams were going to come and talk to them, just like how the "other" Takuya had conversed with Kouichi days before. But it wasn't their "other selves" that appeared when the veil between time and space opened.

Dressed in black cloaks and doning clothing that seemed to have been plucked straight out of a futuristic, sci-fi movie, a pair of mysterious strangers suddenly appeared before them. Their faces were concealed by full-face masks with strange markings—markings that none of the Spirit Shinkers have seen before, not in the Digital World, not in the Cyber World, and not even in the Dead Sea of Dreams.

Though the mysterious pair concealed their identities, the Spirit Shinkers knew one thing to be certain: they weren't human.

"So, this is the 'real' world," One of them said.

Takuya and the others didn't know what to say or do. They were stunned, to say the least, and at the same time, frightened of what these strangers were up to. Though they were 'saviors' of the world at one point in their lives, the _Spirit Shinkers_ knew that, should these mysterious pair attack, they would be unable to do anything—not even defend themselves.

"Stop gawking, Dís." the other one chided. "We've got work to do."

"It's not like it's going to take long," came the retort.

The strange pair had yet to notice the _Spirit Shinkers_ who watched them continue bickering.

"Who are those guys?" Junpei whispered loud enough for Takuya to hear.

Takuya shrugged. He didn't know who these two were or why they were there and what they were talking about. What he did know was that they were bad news and that they were in trouble.

"We better get out of here...fast." Takuya whispered to everyone.

"Bad vibes?" Kouji asked him, to which Takuya only nodded.

No one bothered to ask Takuya to elaborate. They felt the same 'bad vibes' that Kouji was talking about as soon as those two stepped out of the portal. Slowly, the group inched themselves farther and farther away from the strange visitors from another world or dimension.

Even before they could get as far away as they could, the first of the pair—Dís—said, "Oh look, Hel. The little worms are trying to get away."

The second of the pair, the one called 'Hel', turned his attention towards the _Spirit Shinkers_ who had changed their pace from briskly walking to running as fast as they could. "I can see that. Let them run for a while, Dís. A chase is never too fun as when the hunted are not given a chance to run and have the hope of escape crushed before their very eyes."

* * *

><p>Kira knew he made the right decision. He couldn't be bothered to save the world over and over again and be expected to put his life—or whatever was left of it should the others fail on their new mission—on hold. Sure, it had been pretty cool transforming into a Digimon and fighting the bad guys just like a superhero but it was good only for a single run. He still enjoyed reminiscing about his adventures with his friends, but he had worked so hard to get into college, to make his parents proud of him that even though the fate of the world was at stake, he couldn't bring it in himself to throw all that away and just help Kouichi and Yumi with their problems.<p>

And so, upon returning home, Kira placed all the thoughts about Digimons and other worlds to the deepest recesses of his mind, burying it for what he felt was more important: education and his parents.

He had thought—no, he firmly believed—that, in doing so, all the weird things that were bound to happen to him had he joined in their quest to save the world yet again, would no longer happen to him. No more death-defying stunts, near0death experiences and battles. He would just be a normal college student.

Which is why, he couldn't understand the predicament he had found himself in, running for his life as far away from his dormitory as he could with only the clothes on his back. His bare feet pounded the pavement as he pushed himself to run faster and faster, away from the chaos of the dormitory. He could still hear the distressing screams and shouts of his fellow dormers, could still see the chaos that had ensued when the wall of his room suddenly exploded sending debris flying all over. It even destroyed the laptop that he had worked so hard to buy.

Those responsible for the destruction of his thousand-dollar laptop and half of his room was someone he had never seen before. But he knew that it wasn't a Digimon. He also knew that it was no accident that he was being targeted by that masked person. What he didn't know was why. In that short span when he had gotten a chance to speak, Kira had told the masked intruder, when the he had asked, that he was no longer part of the _Spirit Shinkers_. It was true, but apparently, despite the question of whether or not he was one of them, the masked intruder really did not care. Either way, he had said, he had come to put an end to Kira's existence.

Panting, Kira didn't stop even when he could hear the blaring sound of the siren as it headed for the direction of his dormitory. He couldn't go back there, not now. He didn't care how he looked to those who had gotten out of their houses, curious of what the ruckus was, he was going to be dead if he stopped to even think about his next course of action.

Kira didn't know how far exactly he had gone when the first important question he had, finally entered his mind: How had the intruder knew about him and where he was at? And, why did he want to kill him?

* * *

><p>Max would like to think of it as a blessing, being out that late that night even though several hours ago he would have thought that his mom would kill him for not coming home early. Turns out, his mom might not have to get her hands dirty because Max was sure that this masked woman—for he knew that she was a woman after his hand 'accidentally' brushed on her breast when he was trying to push her away to escape—would do that job for his mother. Not that his mother wanted to actually kill him. He was, after all, thinking about his mom killing him metaphorically and not literally.<p>

This woman, however, doesn't believe in metaphors or rhetorical questions. Hell, she doesn't even seem to believe in talking first or having a monologue just like how those bad guys Max had encountered before loved to do.

No. This woman was all about action. And the act of killing Max was within her reach.

"Why the hell do you want to kill me? I haven't done anything to you! I don't even _know _you!" Max shouted as he took a step back, trying to keep the wound on his side from bleeding more.

"We don't need a reason to hunt our prey. The Master's words are enough of a reason for us," The woman said. Her voice was monotone, devoid of any emotion but not exactly...robotic.

"Prey?" Max had heard her call him that before.

The woman didn't bother to answer, she just readied herself to strike at Max one more time and this time, she swore that it would be a fatal strike.

* * *

><p>Hitakaru didn't know where he was. All he remembered was being chased by a man dressed in weird clothing, like he was out from <em>The Matrix<em>. The man had caught up with him, and he remembered being run through by a sword. Despite that, Hitakaru could not feel any pain. He tried touching his chest—the spot where the sword had pierced him—but he couldn't feel any cuts, any gaping holes, or any indication that he was hurt. Truth was, he couldn't feel _anything_.

He opened his eyes, wanting to find out the answer to his first question regarding his location and, although he was sure he had had them open, he couldn't see anything except for the darkness around him.

"Where...am I?" He asked, his voice bouncing off the walls of where ever the hell he was, echoing around him. "What...happened?"

He tired to remember the events leading up to his current predicament, but other than those things he did know, nothing new came to him. He wasn't even sure if he was still alive, or dead, or if he was merely having one of those weird dreams he had heard a lot about but never actually experienced before.

What he did remember, other than running for his life and being stabbed was the words his mysterious attacker had uttered: "Seven more pillars left."

* * *

><p>He dumped the body into the ground, causing Dis and Hel to take their eyes off of the direction where the rest of the humans they were pursuing had run off to. It fell to the ground with a thud and he watched as the limbs of the body remained splayed on the ground. The boy's unblinking and dead eyes continued to stare off in the distance, never closing and never really seeing.<p>

Skuld had done his job. He had taken care of the human that once bore the Spirit of the Earth. Though the human wasn't truly dead, Skuld knew that he was neither alive. His sword had made sure of that.

"What took you so long?" Hel asked.

Though not impatient, Skuld knew that Hel expected all of them to complete their mission as fast as you could snap a finger.

Skuld shrugged, "Can I not enjoy hunting my prey as much as you?"

Before Hel could come up with a retort, their two other companions appeared—Syn and Meili—each carrying one of the other humans. Neither of them offered a greeting to those that were already present. They simply dumped the humans on the ground and turned their attention to Hel, waiting for what needs to be done next.

"There are six more that went in that direction," Hel pointed out.

"And the last one?" Syn asked.

It was Dís who answered, "He wasn't with any of them and both Hel and I can't pick up on his...scent."

Skuld was surprised to hear that. To conceal oneself from the likes of Hel and Dís—the two strongest Valkyries—was unheard of. Either the last of the human bearers of the Spirits were strong or someone was protecting the said human. Skuld could not think of a plausible being who would waste time in protecting a mere human from the likes of their great Master, but neither could he believe that there was a human that could hide himself well.

"The final bearer doesn't matter. For now, at least." Hel said. "Though Dís and I can take care of those children by ourselves, I think it would only be fair that all of us have a little fun."

A round of affirmations erupted before Hel gave the signal and all of them headed out to enjoy the night's hunt.

* * *

><p>Takuya didn't know why he felt that way. By the time they had stopped running, they were all huddling inside an abandoned building. All of them were panting having run a couple of miles away from Shibuya Station. He should have felt safe, after all, how could those two mysterious strangers find out where they were hiding?<p>

But, that thought didn't do anything to comfort Takuya Kanbara. He didn't know why but he felt that something was terribly, _terribly_ wrong. He felt sick to his stomach, as if he could puke at any given moment.

"Why can't we just take a ride home?" Junpei asked.

"We...shouldn't." was all Takuya could say. "I don't know why but I know that we shouldn't."

"Those two aren't Digimons," there was no need to state that obvious fact but Kouji felt compelled to. "You don't suppose they're from the Cyber-World?"

"No." Izumi answered. Other than Takuya, she was the only one around who could tell. "They're not from the Cyber-World."

"The Dead Sea of Dreams then?" Tomoki asked.

It took a while for Takuya to answer, mulling over the possibility that those people were from that place, but after a while, he said, "I don't think so."

"Then who are they and where the heck did they come from?" Erika hissed the question out.

Silence was the answer for none of them could think of any other place. Apart from the Digital and Cyber Worlds and the Dead Sea of Dreams, there was no other 'world' that any of them have been in. But they didn't have any more time to mull over the other possibilities, because just then, a shot was fired towards them.


	9. The Fall of the Nine

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic **

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

****Just a short update considering that my left wrist is still in a brace and it's pretty darn hard to type with just one hand...anyways, I hope you guys like it.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future <strong>

**Chapter Eight **

**The Fall of the Nine**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_Home of lost causes,_

_and beliefs forsaken,_

_and unpopular names,_

_and impossible loyalties._

.::.

* * *

><p>The energy beam snaked its way towards them and it would have immediately hit them if they didn't manage to jump out of the way—which they did. In seconds, nothing was left of the place where they had all been huddled together. Smoke and dust covered the room as, coughing, they made their way out of the abandoned building and into the open space parking lot.<p>

Bent over and gagging, Takuya forced his eyes to open as he scanned the parking lot looking for their attackers. It was only when the dust finally settled that he saw them standing atop the building to the right of the parking lot. Standing upright, Takuya then turned to face them.

"Bravo, escaping that demolition just in time," one of the masked men, whom Takuya guessed to be the leader, applauded. "It wouldn't have been fun if you all merely died in that now, would it?"

"What do you want?" Takuya shouted, moving in-front of the others, particularly Izumi.

"Other than your destruction and our mission being accomplished?" Another one of the masked attackers asked, this time the voice was that of a woman. "Nothing, really."

"Your existence hinders our Master's plan," another voice chimed in. "As such, you and your fellow pillars must be eliminated."

"Pillars?" Izumi asked and, even though she directed the question to no one in particular and even though her voice wasn't that loud, their enemies seem to be able to hear her well enough for one of them to answer.

"Yes, the Pillars of the Digital World. The humans who had touched the Spirits that created that world and sealed off our Master."

"Heh, that sounds a lot like what happened to Lucemon." Junpei couldn't help but pointing out. "Don't tell me you guys are his lackeys. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but Lucemon's gone. We defeated him, so I guess that makes your mission null and void and stupid."

"Impertinent human child," boomed the voice of the leader, "Do you think that we, the Valkyries, would bow ourselves to one such as Lucemon? A mere Digimon born of jealousy and hatred? What fool you are! We do not serve a Digimon. We serve a being far more powerful!"

Then it hit Takuya and Izumi at the same time, "The being sealed in the Dead Sea of Dreams...?"

"Well now, Hel, it seems not all of them are foolish." came another female voice. "Who would have thought?"

"We'll take that as a 'yes'," said Kouji.

"Take it whatever way you want," the one whom they referred to as 'Hel' said, "It doesn't matter, especially since this will be the end of the line for all of you."

"If they're anything like the other three, this won't take long, Hel."

_Other three?_ Takuya could not help but wonder, _What other three?_

But, he didn't have time to voice out his question, because the five masked strangers then began their attack.

* * *

><p>"It has begun," the old man said as he watched from a floating sphere the events that were happening in the human world and the Dead Sea of Dreams. He sounded weary and it was a surprise to the old man and his companion that the he didn't just collapse from exhaustion there and then.<p>

The old man's companion balled his fists as he watched Takuya and his group being played with by the Valkyries. Though he would rather not watch, he couldn't keep his eyes away from the sphere.

"I wish I could help them..." he whispered. "I don't like sitting around, doing nothing."

The old man looked at his companion, "Your time will come, young one. That time, however, depends on them."

"They don't even know—"

"That is how it has to be," the old man said, cutting him off. "Help is already on the way, but unless they remember and unless they could hear those voices calling out to them, Takuya and the others will have no hope of surviving this ordeal."

"Don't you think that that is a bit of a gamble, old man?"

"Life is a gamble." was all the old man told him before he turned around and placed all of his attention at the on-going battle. "You should know that better than anyone else."

_I do. But I still think this a gamble that we might _not_ win._

* * *

><p>He was trying to keep himself from fainting, although the lack of oxygen was already causing black spots in his vision. He tried kicking, clawing, and every other form of retaliation he could do under such circumstances, but it all seemed futile. Everything seemed so futile.<p>

He didn't really see what good his squirming would do. With how the Valkyrie Hel had raised him, his grip on his throat choking him, there didn't seem to be anyway to escape his current predicament alive. Even so, he couldn't bare to give up. He was the only one left and he'll be damned if he was going to just let go. He was going to fight, until he could no longer.

Tears were already burning in his eyes, which were struggling to stay open. With those eyes he saw how much the masked Valkyrie's eyes burned with much hatred for him—for them. He didn't know why they felt such hatred. They weren't exactly the talkative type and regardless of how he had tried to guess their motives, he couldn't. Not that he could guess well. It wasn't his strong point. Kouji and Kouichi were both better with that than he was.

_And both of them are gone._ His mind had fired at him before he could stop himself. _Kouichi's at who-knows-where and could either be alive or dead...Kouji is, however, is—_

He couldn't really finish that thought. Because finishing that train of thought means gripping the same fact that the others had also met the same fate—Tomoki, Erika, Junpei...and even Izumi.

"Why do you continue to struggle?" Hel taunted him. "There is no point in doing so. All your comrades are gone and soon the whole world shall be torn asunder."

_That's right_, Takuya couldn't help the dark thoughts from entering his mind as he felt the end draw near. _Why am I even trying? What good will it do if I survive through this. It won't change the fact that Izumi and the others are—_

Even though he was having those doubts in him, Takuya chose to hide behind the façade of courage and strength—both of the things he was lacking at the moment, along with conviction—as he struggled to breathe the answer to Hel's question out, "Even...even if that's the case...I won't go down...without...a fight."

"And you call this—what you are doing—a fight?" sneered Hel, to which the other Valkyries laughed. "It doesn't look like you're putting up too much of a fight. I had thought that you would be different Takuya Kanbara. It seems I am mistaken in that assumption."

Takuya decided not to answer that. He didn't want to use up what remained of his precious oxygen, after all. But, at the back of his mind he did question that. Part of him believed that he wasn't really fighting, that he was merely delaying the inevitable. Another part of him told him that it wasn't the case. He was fighting since he was not simply laying down and accepting what was, indeed, the inevitable.

"Don't you think you've had enough of your fun, Hel?" The one called Skuld asked, his tone was one of boredom. "There are those of us here who want to go back as soon as possible."

Hel gave a theatrical sigh, shaking his head at his companion's impatience. But he knew that Skuld had a point. They still have to find the other Pillar—the one who bore the Spirit of Darkness, sticking around trying to prolong this was not going to help finish their mission soon. And he did wanted to finish it as soon as he could.

"I suppose you're right," Hel had said, turning his attention quickly towards the other Valkyries before turning them back to Takuya who was now on the verge of asphyxiation. "Let's finish this shall we?"

Hel then brandished his sword—the very same sword that he had used on Izumi. It glinted with the first rays of early morning dawn. Seeing the sword, Takuya forced himself to struggle, putting all of his efforts in breaking free. Although, once he was free, he didn't know what he was supposed to do. Still, like always, he decided to just try to break free and think of what happens next later. But, the more he struggled, the tighter Hel's grip on him become until he couldn't fight any more.

Closing his eyes shut, Takuya did not see the sword or even the expression on the Valkyries' faces as it was plunged into his heart.

* * *

><p>The young man winced, although he did not actually feel the pain that that attack would have caused on Takuya. Not that he was watching any more. He had left the old man when it was apparent that Takuya and the others would not be able to fight. He couldn't bare to watch, truth be told. To see how the proud warriors that they had been were gone...<p>

Not that he could blame them. Without the Spirits' help, beating the Valkyries was bound to be impossible.

But he had hoped. He had hoped that they would hear the voices. But, they didn't. They were..."consumed"—it was the term that the old man had used.

He wondered what the old man was thinking. It seemed that no matter what they did, the future did not change, the _Spirit Shinkers_ still died. The world was still going to end, but this time it was worse because the darkness that was threatening to consume the world was stronger, more powerful—omnipotent even.

_Would our actions to stop this always end up being useless?_ He couldn't help wondering, after all, it wasn't the first time that something like that happened. It wasn't the first future they have seen which is dark and gloomy and chaotic. Truth be told, he had seen many future, many instances of the same deaths, the same conclusion. He had thought that they had managed to stop it. It turns out they didn't and that they had only made it worse.

But the young man knew better than to give up. It was one of the things he had inherited from his parents—their burning will. He was going to do everything in his power to correct the mistakes of the past, even if it was the last thing he does—which wouldn't be too far off from the truth.


	10. Hands of Darkness

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic **

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future <strong>

**Chapter Nine **

**Hands of Darkness**

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><p><em>.::. <em>

_Where, O kind, destined to perish, are you directing your unavailing flight?_

_Alas, lost one, you know not whom you flee;_

_you are running upon enemies, whilst you flee from your foe._

_You fall upon the rock Scylla desiring to avoid the whirlpool Charbdis._

.::.

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><p>Yumi was exasperated.<p>

Well, she was more angry than exasperated. Not only were they lost and without any supplies (_Why didn't I pack anything?_ She berated herself on several occasions) , but they had ended up camping inside a cave. Even though she was with Kouichi—who had done everything he could to make her feel comfortable—it was anything _but_ romantic. In fact, being romantic could probably have been so far from Kouichi's mind and from hers. Trying to survive the night and find the others, maybe even find a way back home, had been at the forefront of their minds.

And, if _that_ wasn't enough, she had woken up to find that Kouichi was gone and that the person who was with her—if 'person' was really the word to describe him, she didn't really know or care much about the semantics—was none other than Duskmon.

She really didn't have anything against him. She actually found him dependable, plus he knew more about where they were than Kouichi did. But, she would have rather been stuck with Kouichi. At least Kouichi wasn't as somber as him.

Throughout the morning, Duskmon barely spoke to her save for giving orders like making her get up and telling her that they had to move. When she asked "Move to where, exactly?" She was awarded with only a three-worded answer, "Far from here." He didn't even bother to elaborate. It drove Yumi nuts not knowing where they were going.

It was only when they had been walking for what seemed like hours that she noticed something and she did not bother to stop herself from pointing this out to her companion.

"Hey, Dusky," she started.

This caused Duskmon to perk up and say, "Don't call me _that_!"

Yumi didn't bother to correct herself to stop Duskmon from glaring at her, "Why does it look like we're going back to where Kouichi and I arrived?"

"That's because that's _exactly _what we're doing," he huffed.

"Why?" she couldn't keep the whine away from her voice, "There's _nothing_ there! And, unless you haven't noticed, we don't really have any food or water to keep ourselves fed and hydrated. Or do you not care if we shrivel up and die?"

Duskmon chose not to answer. He was starting to be annoyed with Yumi. _Why can't she be like how she _used_ to be, back when she was Yumi Kanbara?_ He couldn't help but complain. And, of course, sharing bodies with Kouichi, Kouichi was privy to his thoughts. And Kouichi wasn't happy with him for that thought of his.

She hard Yumi gasp, and he immediately whirled around thinking that she saw something that surprised her—an enemy, a mysterious structure, anything of the sort. But then she merely glared at her, pointing an accusing finger followed by saying, "That's it, isn't it? You really don't care. I mean, unlike us, you'll probably just live on when we die."

Duskmon sighed, shaking his head. "Since when did you become so...overly dramatic? Not once, in the past, did you act like that. And, I should know, I had just been lying dormant within Kouichi during all of those months."

Yumi just continued to glare at him. To which Duskmon just gave another sigh. Apparently, unlike the other Yumi, _this_ Yumi did not appreciate him being quiet and just doing his thing.

"Look, it's just...complicated. Very hard to explain, especially to someone like you—" Duskmon raised his palms up to silence whatever it was she was about to say, "—who's not used to stuff like this happening. Not that this kind of thing frequently happens to Kouichi and the others...The point is: just...trust me." Silently he added, _Like you used to..._

It was strange for him to keep on betting on that word: trust. After all, he was Duskmon. A lone wolf. Someone who could care less about the next person, much less how he is being perceived by others. Trust was not something he betted on. Until he was stuck with Kouichi, fear was his ace.

Hearing not another complaint from Yumi, Duskmon nodded to himself, turned back around and continued on with the trek, all the while making sure that Yumi was following him and that no harm had befallen her. Though he is still having a hard time completely understanding human emotions, he knew that Yumi's annoyance with him was well-warranted. After all, he was the one who had plucked her from the human world and insisted that she came along with them. Had he known that he would mess up with the portal, he would have...well, he couldn't say _not_ make the portal since, unless she jumped into it, said portal will remain open for all to use...until the energy that was used to open it was gone.

Duskmon hated complications and thinking of how he had messed up and complicated things made him want to destroy something, blow something up...

* * *

><p>He could not believe his luck that it would actually work, but he did not dare question how it had when things have begun playing right. Who would have thought that, despite the powerful force that had tried to break his connection—his trap—that that the girl would somehow still end up in his domain. It was really not something he had expected to happen.<p>

Though he knew that it was one of the many possibilities waiting to happen, the existence of The Paradox caused him to doubt. After all, The Paradox, itself, was an existence that he had not foreseen in all of the histories that had been written and had branched off after that little time-travelling stunt that the Kanbara children did.

For him, who had seen _a lot_, it amused him that the twins thought they could change the future. Make it a little bit brighter and stop the destruction of the world. They failed to see that Chronosmon was _not_ the real problem. Had they not wonder _how_ Chronosmon came to be and _how_ Chronosmon obtained his power? Did they really believe that humans would be powerful enough to create such a being? Of course not! And, instead of really trying to find out how it all came to be, the humans decided on a story—a theory—that they believed to be true...and stuck with it. It was funny how they didn't even see how wrong they were.

It was also fun making them believe whatever it was they wanted to believe, playing with their hopes in dreams. It wasn't that hard. All he had to do was see what it was they desired and he contorted their reality to suit his needs. And suit his needs it did. They grew lax. They grew weak. They let their guard down even as he was slowly rising to power. Now, it would only take that girl for him to be free and wreck as much havoc as he wanted.

He was truly thankful for the girl and that human bearer of the Spirit of Darkness for making such a strong wish. A desire to change time and space. That was all he needed, after all: a powerful desire from two individuals.

And now...it would only be a matter of time until he finally has the girl in his clutches. He wouldn't even need to wait for his Valkyries to come back. He can do it on his own even though the "light" of the Dead Sea of Dreams is trying to hinder his plans, even if there was The Paradox, he knew he would have her. And have her soon.

* * *

><p>They arrived at the place where they had first touched down in the Dead Sea of Dreams—if this was really <em>that <em>place, and true to word, there really wasn't anything there that Duskmon could see. He was hoping to see a sign, a direction of where he needed to take Kouichi and Yumi to meet with the person they were supposed to meet. But there was none. There was not even a sign of life, or traces that there had been anything living in that place—except for those that Kouichi and Yumi had left.

"We're here, now what?" Yumi asked, she sounded tired...and she was.

"I don't know. Maybe go from here to the opposite direction of where you and Kouichi walked off to," Duskmon replied.

"You _don't _know?" Yumi shouted at him. Her temper was back. "You made us go back here and you don't even know what we're supposed to do now?"

"I know what we're supposed to do," countered Duskmon, "I just don't know _how_ we're supposed to accomplish it. I was told that I needed to get you and Kouichi on the right track and that trek you took, going in that direction," Duskmon pointed towards the direction where they had come from, "was not the right way. You're supposed to meet with someone...someone who can help you sort all of this out."

"And that 'someone' would be—?"

Duskmon shrugged, "I wasn't able to gain any more information apart from that. The...person...I was talking to disappeared before he could tell me."

Yumi stared at Duskmon, waiting for him to elaborate and Duskmon knew that she would not drop it until he could tell her more. And so, she did. "The others...like me. But, not exactly like me. The Spirits Ten. A complicated story for another day."

"So, a bunch of ghosts told you what we're supposed to be doing?" Yumi wanted to clarify what Duskmon had just told her.

He glared at her, "_Spirits_. Not ghosts."

"I don't see any difference between the two," she honestly told him as she brushed past him.

Duskmon had the sudden urge to give her a lecture regarding the Ancient Ten and the _Digi-Spirits_. To make her understand—just as how she _used _to understand—just how powerful they can be, that they should be awed upon, revered even. But he knew that, being a human, Yumi wasn't really inclined to feel that way about him and his brethren. And so, he just let it go. Not that she didn't want her to understand but he knew that there would be another time and place—a better one—to have such lectures and discussions.

He did not, however, hid the fact that it irked him to be compared to ghosts.

After that, they decided to just go ahead and take the road opposite to the one they had been on. They were going to take things up one at a time, solving their problem a little bit at a time. The only sound that could be heard, apart from their breathing was the crunching of the sand underneath their shoes. After a while, they reached a steep incline that eventually lead them to a path between two jagged cliffs. Having no other choice, they purged ahead. Yet, even at such a height, they could still see no other signs of life and Duskmon couldn't see anything familiar.

"It feels like we're not getting anywhere." Yumi groaned as she sat down on the flat surface of a large rock hours later, when Duskmon finally allowed her to rest. "The scenery changes but our destination is still 'to nowhere'."

"Yeah," Duskmon shook his head. A strange feeling was building up inside of him, one that he couldn't understand. "There should at least be a settlement or something around here. You would have thought that, this place being the Dead Sea of Dreams, that it would be more populated...after all, this is the place where the dead future winds up. There should be more people here: people who were supposed to have a future but weren't given a chance to."

"So, it's just like the River Styx," Yumi said.

"The what?" Duskmon asked, confused.

"Greek mythology," was Yumi's two-worded answer and when she saw that Duskmon wasn't following still, she couldn't help but smile. "You know, Greek gods and goddesses? Demi-humans? Zeus, Poseidon, Hades? Olympus? That whole thing?"

Still Duskmon regarded her with a blank look on his face.

_Finally,_ she thought. _Something he _doesn't_ know about._

"Well, according to that particular mythology," Yumi decided to explain, "the River Styx is a place where dead dreams, hopes, and futures are. It's a river in the Underworld that Chiron traverses with the souls of the dead for purification. They say it's where Achilles was bathed in, too, and the reason why he became indestructible. Well, except for his weak point which ended up being his heals."

"I...have no idea what you're talking about," Duskmon said after Yumi's explanation. "I could care less about your pantheon of gods and humans' fascination with mysticism."

"That—coming from someone who I would have regarded as a myth—is kind of ironic."

Despite hearing from Duskmon that he didn't want to learn anything more regarding the gods and goddesses of various mythologies, Yumi decided that it would be a good way to pass up time. Not only does she get to show-off just how much she knew about mythology, but she got to annoy Duskmon who obviously didn't want to hear about it. Annoying Duskmon had become a hobby for her, ever since she wound up being stuck with him.

It was just when Yumi was about to tell the story about the trials of Heracles when Duskmon shushed her, stopping dead on his tracks.

The look on Duskmon face told Yumi not to argue as he concentrated on trying to pin down what it was he was feeling. It was the same as before, only now, it was much stronger.

His instinct told him that he had best be prepared. Having survived long using his instincts, Duskmon complied. His crimson eyes burned brightly as he summoned his twin swords. The appearance of the weapon caused Yumi to gasp. It had only been the second time she had seen it and, despite the bravado she had displayed before, there was something about the sword that scared her, frightened her. But, even more than the sword, what truly made her feel afraid was the fact that Duskmon had to call for it.

_It could only mean one thing, right? _She thought to herself, _Something's up...something bad._

"Stay close beside me," Duskmon had told her, and she nodded. She didn't even bother to ask question, especially with that tone he used towards her.

Gripping his dual weapons, Duskmon made himself ready for anything that may happen. That was what his gut was telling him, after all. That something was about to happen. Even though he had, in a way, protected lives before, he had never done so the way he plans to do now.

For a few moments, it seemed like he was wrong. That nothing was going to happen. That all changed however when the ground started shaking. The earthquake wasn't strong at first but it immediately gained magnitude that Yumi had slipped twice before Duskmon had took her by the hand and held her to keep her upright. It made Yumi dizzy, even with her eyes closed her head felt as though it was spinning. Then began the sound of the earth cracking open, landslide occurring on the edge of the cliffs, cutting out the way that they both had come.

"What's going on?" Yumi had to shout her question, thinking that Duskmon would not be able to hear her from the noise caused by the earth.

Duskmon didn't knew the answer, but he knew that if they stayed there, they would end up being buried alive by a landslide. Taking, Yumi's had, he told her that they had to move. Yumi complied.

It was not easy trying to make a run for it with the ground shaking and debris falling around everywhere, not to mention when the ground beneath your feet was cracking, but they both knew they had no choice.

They ran and ran with Duskmon constantly pulling Yumi to her feet as she stumbled. They didn't know where they were going as they weaved their way around. Duskmon could only hope, as he led the way, that the direction he was going through would lead them to safety. His hopes, however, were dashed when they ended up facing a cliff.

"I don't suppose you can fly," Yumi said, breathlessly.

"Not unless Kouichi had regained his ability to Digivolve and call forth my beast-form." Duskmon replied as he searched for another route, only to be stopped by boulders suddenly blocking the path from where they had come from, sealing them in.

"I...have no idea what you're talking about..." Yumi admitted. And, when she saw that their way was blocked, asked, "What now?"

But, before Duskmon could answer, a booming voice resounded around them. It was this voice that answered Yumi's question.

"Now, you come with me, child," the voice said.

Yumi gasp as she looked around, trying to search for where the voice had come from. Duskmon, however, merely tightened his grip on his weapons. He didn't need to be an omnipotent being to know who it was that was speaking to them. He didn't know the being's name, but he knew _what _it was.

_This is bad._ He couldn't help but think to himself.

As powerful as he would like to believe he was, Duskmon knew that, under the current circumstance, he would not prove to be a match against this being. He knew that, alone, this _creature_ would merely toy with him. He needed the others and without the others, there was no way he was going to stand and fight. The only thing was, there was nowhere to go, no way to flee.

The voice then laughed as Yumi inched closer to Duskmon, clinging to his arm. "What is this? Do I sense _fear_?"

Neither Yumi nor Duskmon spoke, beckoning the voice to continue with its monologue.

"Mmm...It taste _so _delicious...this fear that permeates through your souls. Alas, I cannot appease my appetite with you both. Now, come along, child." With that, shadows appeared around them. These shadows were in a form of elastic hands and were anything but incorporeal. When one of the hands tried snatching Yumi, it grazed her and she felt like someone really did touch her.

Of course, the hand that _did _touch Yumi, ended up being severed from the mass of hands milliseconds later as Duskmon's weapon sliced cleanly through it.

"Touch her again and I'll destroy you," Duskmon growled, his eyes burning.

"What's this? You intend to fight me?" the voice sounded incredulous and somewhat entertained by the thought. "It is futile. An abomination such as yourself cannot hope to stop me, the lord of this domain!"

"Futile or not, I made an oath...and I intend to keep that promise I made to him...as helpless as he might be." Duskmon retorted. "I will not hand her over to you, regardless of what the consequences might be...on my part."

"The Great Duskmon, enslaved by the whims of a human child." laughed the voice, taunting Duskmon to make the first move. "There is worth fighting for there, Duskmon. You are on the wrong side, as usual. Fight for me instead, and I shall have your oath to Ancient Sphinxmon fulfilled."

"I am no longer bound with that oath." Duskmon spat. "Though for you to know about that bothers me."

"I know a lot of things, Spirit of Darkness." said the voice. "So many things."

As Duskmon and the voice continued their exchange, Yumi could not help but feel confused and more frightened. The danger she had been warned she would be in before felt so surreal that she actually believed that they were just blowing things up out of proportions. Being placed in such a situation that she was in at that moment, made her change her mind. She could feel the pull of the voice and she tried her best to push it back. It was such a hard thing to do. The voice was calling to her, to her very being.

"Snap out of it, Yumi!" she heard Duskmon shout at her before she felt him shaking her. "Don't let him fool you!"

Opening her eyes, she found that she had taken a step towards the shadow hands and that the only thing that kept her from taking another step was Duskmon's firm grip on her wrist. She didn't know what had happened and it scared her even more. So much so that she couldn't come up with anything to say to Duskmon.

"It's no use," the voice said, "She will be mine."

Before Duskmon could react, the hands suddenly attacked with so much speed, overwhelming him. With his hand on Yumi's wrist, dragging her away from the hands, he was only able to fight with one hand. Not being used to defending someone, Duskmon struggled as he swung his sword around.

Though he managed to chop several hands, it did not do him or Yumi any good. With every hand that was severed, two more took its place—like a Hydra. It didn't take long for Duskmon to be completely overwhelmed and, before he knew it, Yumi had been yanked away from him.

Though he struggled to get to her amidst the river of hands that dragged him back and blocked his way, Duskmon was unable to get to her before a portal made of shadow opened and Yumi was swallowed whole.


	11. Shaky Alliance

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic **

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

Kind of disappointing to see this story not being reviewed by readers. Don't really know what you guys think of the story so far...Anyways, hope you enjoy this latest chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future <strong>

**Chapter Ten **

**Shaky Alliance**

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><p>.::.<p>

_Homo qui erranti comiter monstrat viam;_

_Quasi lumen de sou lumine accendit, facit:_

_Nihilominus ipsi luceat, cum illi accenderit._

_He who civilly shows the way to one who has missed it,_

_is as one who has lighted another's lamp from his own lamp:_

_it none the less gives light to himself when it burns for the other. _

.::.

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><p>He stared at what lay beyond the single window of his room while he rested. Not being allowed to move around and walk outside, it was the only thing he could do. He couldn't believe what had happened and he could not find it in him to blame anyone, not even Duskmon. He knew how hard the Tainted Spirit of Darkness had tried to keep Yumi safe, knew how it was against his nature and that Duskmon had struggled. He was thankful for that...he really was.<p>

_But it wasn't enough. _ Duskmon spoke to him in his mind. _I wasn't strong enough...not nearly as strong as I once was._

_"Duskmon..."_ Kouichi didn't know what to say. He didn't even know if the reason Duskmon was weakening because of him.

Closing his eyes, Kouichi could still see Yumi being taken away by the shadow. He could still see the fear that was written all over her face as if it had just happened seconds ago. He doubted that would ever go away. That memory was already etched in his mind just as how he felt it was now etched at the back of his eyelids.

He sighed. He didn't know how long he could take merely lying around as the world begins to sink deeper and deeper in darkness...and towards its destruction.

Kouichi wanted to move around. He wanted to do _something. Anything._ But his current condition made it impossible to do just that. When he tried moving the left side of his body and was rewarded with pain, he couldn't help but remember—albeit vaguely—what had happened a week ago, after Yumi was taken...

* * *

><p>Duskmon couldn't believe it. He was being pushed back. Him. The Tainted Spirit of Darkness, was being overcome by creatures from the dark. It was unheard of. It was wrong. It was downright impossible.<p>

As the Tainted Spirit of Darkness, Duskmon—much like the other Digimons that are like him, apostles of darkness—have a higher resistance and can generally control lower beings of darkness. Being at the near-top of the heirarchy, Duskmon could do that and was more adept at it than, say, a Demi-Devimon. Or even a Devimon. Heck, he was much higher up in the pyramid than that accursed Apocalymon.

But, as he tried to immobilize the shadows, it only proved one thing: not all creatures of the darkness would follow him.

Panting, weak, and weary, he continued to fight and before he knew it, he was near the edge of the crevice. Taking a quick look behind him, Duskmon had a vague idea of how painful it would be to slip and fall into what he believed would, undoubtedly, Kouichi and his doom.

_Can't let that happen... _Duskmon thought to himself as he focused back on the hydra-like hands.

Taking a deep breath, Duskmon called forth what remained of his reservoir for power. His whole body glowed in an eerie, blood-red light. The light, compared to how it used to manifest before, was slightly muted—a sign of how much weaker he was now. This only served to piss Duskmon some more, but he shoved that thought at the back of his mind. He could cuss all he want and maybe throw a tantrum or two later, right then he knew he needed to focus on the battle and find a way to completely destroy the shadow creatures before him.

When he felt ready, he charged forward with such a speed that he rarely displays. He figured that if he destroyed them all quickly, that perhaps their weakness would surface. Though he managed to decapitate half of them, it showed nothing and did nothing but spring forth twice the number of hands that he had cut down.

* * *

><p>The sound of a metal food tray hitting one of the steel tables in the room snapped Kouichi from his reverie and he quickly turned to look at the person carrying his food tray. It was also the same person who he owed his life to. If he hadn't arrived when he did, Kouichi did not know how he and Duskmon would have fared. Probably badly. He, Kouichi, was actually pretty much certain that he would have died had it not been for him.<p>

* * *

><p>He thought he had won. He really did. And no one could blame him for thinking that, especially when it seemed like the hands started to disappear one by one.<p>

Duskmon should have known, however, that it wasn't going to be that "easy"—even though, technically, he hadn't had it easy. He should have also known better than to let his guard down because just as soon as he had, he was suddenly thrown back by a powerful, invisible force. He would have fallen down the cliff, had he not been able to quickly use his swords to hang on to dear life.

As Duskmon managed to climb back up, he was greeted by a giant blob of shadow twice the size of an elephant. He could see faces in the shadow's body that quickly disappeared. Though it was quick, he clearly saw the expression that was etched on their faces—agony. It was not a pretty sight. Not even for someone like him.

Though the size of the monster that stood before him was unnerving, Duskmon couldn't really complain much. One, giant enemy was better than hundreds of small ones.

_Besides,_ He thought to himself. _This one I'm sure I can handle._

Turns out, he was wrong. Because even though his enemy looked different, the giant blob also had the same ability as its predecessors: cut one down and two takes it place.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Duskmon shouted in frustration for when he had realized what he had done, there were already six blobs of shadow surrounding him. "What the hell am I doing wrong?"

Duskmon wasn't expecting anyone to answer his question. So, he was surprised when someone did.

"Their Shadowland Creatures," someone replied. "Of course you can't beat them with your weapon."

Duskmon whirled around, looking for who had just spoken as he dodged one attack after another. He didn't see him at first, but when he finally did, Duskmon was even more surprised.

"You!" was all Duskmon could say.

"I wish I can say 'It's been a while' but, we haven't really met before, haven't we, Duskmon? I'll just save that greeting off for later, when I'm facing Kouichi. That...and a couple of other things."

Just then one of the giant blobs decided it was the best time to attack Duskmon. Still at a disbelief, Duskmon didn't notice it until it was too late for him to do anything. Luckily for him, his acquaintance—or rather, Kouichi's acquaintance—jumped down from his spot up at the large boulder and jumped between him and his attacker, pushing the enemy back with his own weapon.

"You're losing focus, Duskmon," he pointed out, cocking his head to the side he added, "Come on. Let's finish this. The old man's waiting for us."

"Katsuya...what are you doing here in the Dead Sea of Dreams?" Duskmon asked. "You're not supposed to be here."

Katusya shrugged, as he returned his attention back to their enemies, "I'll explain later. Right now, we have to deal with them first. Now why don't you go on ahead and let Kouichi call forth Kouji's weapon?"

"Kouji's weapon?"

"The Elemental Sword that Kouichi managed to summon ages ago," Katsuya replied as he expelled fire from his own Elemental Sword. "Though, technically, the Elemental Swords don't really have one person they belong to. Anyway, that's beside the point. Hurry up and have him summon it. That sword and this one," he motioned to the sword in his hand, "are the only ones who can defeat these kinds of enemy."

Duskmon stared at Katsuya like he was crazy. Did he really expect him to let Kouichi back in the middle of a fight, did he? That would be suicide...

"Trust him a bit more, Duskmon." Katsuya said as he vanquished another giant blob of shadow. "Just like how he trusts _you_."

* * *

><p>"Sorry, did I surprise you?" Katsuya asked when he saw Kouichi almost jump...well, if he could have jumped. "I thought you heard me come in."<p>

Kouichi shook his head. It was true he was surprised but he couldn't really blame that on Katsuya. "It's okay. I guess I was just too caught up with thinking."

Katsuya nodded, understanding—to some extent—what Kouichi must be feeling. He knew the Bearer of the Spirit of Darkness had a lot of questions for him, it would only be a matter of time before he was well enough to demand answers. And those answers, Katsuya wasn't sure if he would be able to provide them. He already knew that the old man wouldn't entertain Kouichi's question and that puts him in at a spot.

Silence filled the room and, for some reason, Katsuya felt awkward just standing there. He didn't know what else to say, not after he had come to Kouichi and Duskmon's aide a week back.

Katsuya glanced at Kouichi, the air of defeat surrounded the wounded young man and Katsuya knew why.

He cleared his throat before he said, "It wasn't your fault, you know."

Surprised, Kouichi looked back at Katsuya, "W-what?"

"What happened. With my sister. With Yumi." Katsuya said, before he quickly added, "Although, I really shouldn't call her my sister now. After all, she's no longer _that_ Yumi..."

"Katsuya, I'm—"

Katusya shook his head, a sad smile plastered on his face. "I used to think that she and I will always be together; always be connected but...well, things didn't go the way we wanted it to. Not even the way I had hoped for, not since I did what I had to do. I am even beginning to think that this is all because of me. Because Yumi and I meddled with time."

"But, you did that to save the future!" Kouichi argued for their sake. "If you hadn't done that then—"

"Then none of this would be happening." Exhaled Katsuya. "The future isn't saved at all. It's in jeopardy. And the rate by which darkness is consuming the world is faster than from the world I came from. The world was consumed in darkness when Yumi and I were kids, Kouichi. But in this timeline, we aren't even born and the world's destruction is already at hand." Katusya then turned towards Kouichi and added, "We didn't save anything, Kouichi. All we did were become instruments of a threat far greater than the ones that was supposed to happen."

Kouichi didn't know what to say to that. He didn't expect Katsuya's sudden outburst. And so, he remained silent, all the while feeling that it wasn't just Katsuya's fault—and even Tomoki's fault (after all, it was Tomoki who had constructed the time machine they had used to begin with)—it was his fault as well.

* * *

><p>Duskmon stared at Katsuya, not sure where the <em>boy<em> was getting at...or even how easily he could throw that word at him. He knows Kouichi. He knows him well enough to know that it wasn't a trust that was born from respect. If his host truly does trust him then it was only because Kouichi had no choice. Duskmon was stronger. Duskmon _can_ fight. Whereas he, Kouichi, could do nothing without the aid of his Digivice and Digi-Spirit.

"You are mistaken about that," Duskmon said as he parried an attack, being unable to mount a counter-attack himself. "He allows me to do as I please not because he trusts me but because he doesn't have a choice."

"Well, that's what you think. Anyways, stop dawdling and just let Kouichi fight this battle."

Duskmon was about to argue some more when Kouichi decided to mentally communicate with him.

_Let me help, Duskmon. _ Kouichi said, _I'm not really sure if I can do it, but at least let me try._

Silence was Duskmon's reply to Kouichi's plea.

_Come on, Duskmon!_

_Tch! Fine. Do as you please. But the first sign that this isn't going to work, you're going to let me fight again._ Duskmon finally gave in.

_Of course._

It took only a beat after that for Kouichi to regain control of his body. The moment that he did, he turned towards Katsuya and asked, "What am I supposed to do? How do I summon Kouji's Elemental Sword?"

"Just do what you did last time...after all, how we summon them is different for each of us." Katsuya replied. "I'll keep you safe as you do so."

Kouichi nodded, even though he was not sure what he was supposed to do. It shamed him to admit it but he had forgotten how. Does he concentrate? Put his heart into it? Or is it his will that controls the appearance of the sword? Maybe it was his mind and not his heart? Kouichi wasn't sure. Not at all.

When minutes have passed and Kouichi was still weaponless, Katsuya turned his attention towards him and asked, "What's wrong? What are you waiting for, Kouichi?"

"I...I can't remember how to summon it." Kouichi answered. "I don't think I can...not anymore..."

"That's impossible. You can't forget something like that, Kouichi. Once you've summoned an Elemental Sword, the knowledge of how to summon it is forever engraved in your being." Katsuya said, taking down another enemy. He then looked back and saw something in Kouichi that made him say, "Although, I see it now...the reason why it won't come to you."

Turning his back again to deal with the problem at hand, and believing that Kouichi would not be able to help him, he added, "You've changed, Kouichi...and I don't mean that as a compliment."

It took a while before Katsuya managed to defeat all of the shadow creatures that had come their way.

* * *

><p>"You should just eat and then rest some more, Kouichi," Katsuya said as he began to make his way out of the room. "You're body has taken quite a toll in having Duskmon use it for so long. Unlike before, it seems like your body can't handle it much anymore."<p>

Kouichi frowned. He didn't like what Katsuya was insinuating.

"Are you saying that I've gotten weaker?" Kouichi asked.

"Peaceful times can do that," was Katsuya's reply. "Like I've said before, you've changed...and not in a good way."

"You're wrong about that!" Kouichi argued. "Who I am now is better than who I was before."

Katsuya paused just as he was about to step out of the room. Without turning around he said, "If that's the case, then tell me, Kouichi...why is it that you can no longer summon an Elemental Sword? Something that had come to you naturally. Besides, I don't really think you truly believe what you had just said."

"That has nothing to do with anything!"

"That's where you're wrong." Katsuya then sighed and shook his head. "Though deep within my heart I do hate you, Kouichi, I don't have a choice but to work with you to save Yumi. I'm not sure why but...I trust Duskmon now more than you."

And with that Katsuya left the room leaving Kouichi to wonder just what had happened and why his relationship with Katsuya suddenly deteriorated.

* * *

><p>Katusya sighed as he entered the room where the old man was waiting.<p>

"Don't you think you were a bit hard on him? Young Kouichi didn't even understand why you suddenly got angry with him." the old man said as he watched Katsuya cross the room to meet with him.

"He knows. He just wouldn't accept it." Katsuya replied as he slumped to the stone chair opposite the old man. "I didn't expect him to be this weak now. He became lenient. And...that look I saw..."

"But to say that you trust Duskmon more than you trust the human? Was that necessary?"

"Why are you asking me, old man?" Katsuya asked, his temper rising slightly once more. "You should know, right?"

The old man shook his head, "Like father, like son. You do realize that if you truly seek his aide, you are putting your alliance at a shaky ground. It might not hold."

"It will," Katsuya answered. If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that. "Kouichi's blind to everything except seeing my sister." Looking out the window, he added, "He didn't even feel it...he didn't even feel that the others—his friends—are no longer with us. And he should have felt it. He's more connected to them than we are..."


	12. Consume and Consumate

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic **

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Eleven**

**Consume and Consummate**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_Like one that one a lonesome road doth walk in fear and dread,_

_And having once turned around walks on and turns no more his head;_

_Because he knows, a frightful fiend doth close behind him thread._

.::.

* * *

><p><em>How much longer are you going to mope around? <em>Duskmon's question echoed through his head, but he didn't care much about talking with the Tainted Spirit. The words that Katsuya had said were still echoing in his mind. It infuriated and aggravated him, not knowing just what Takuya and Zoe's son, from the future, meant.

_Not only that but, where's the animosity coming from? We parted in good terms with each other...why then does he suddenly told me that he hated me?_ Kouichi asked himself.

He wanted to ask that question to someone who can help him understand—his brother or Takuya, perhaps. But both of them were not around. Their absence nagged at Kouichi continuously. They were, after all, supposed to deal with this new threat together. Of course, what could he possibly do now that Yumi was taken away? Save her? How? He didn't know where to find that being that took her and even if he did, how was he supposed to fight against said being if the shadow creatures that beckon to the call of that being can easily overpower him and Duskmon?

_Why don't you just ask Katsuya then? He may hate you but, like you, he wants to save Yumi. _Duskmon voiced out his opinion.

"There's no way I can do that. I don't think I'm ready to face him yet." Kouichi replied.

_Oh, please. So he said he didn't like you. So what? I'm pretty sure Katsuya isn't the only person in the face of the planet who feels that way._

What Duskmon said grated on Kouichi's nerves so much that he chose not listen to the Tainted Spirit, letting his mind come up with something, anything.

_But...that's not the only reason why you don't want to face him yet. Is it?_ When Kouichi still chose not to answer him, Duskmon went on. He was expecting that much. _I figured just as much. _Duskmon then sighed. _I can't help you with that other matter, you have to face that one again. But, perhaps you should also see things how others see it. Have you not thought that there might be a hint of truth to what Katsuya had said? I don't peg him as someone who doesn't say thing unless he means them._

"What do you know, Duskmon?" Kouichi retorted. "You're undaunted by words like that. What could you possibly know about how I feel."

A sigh was all Duskmon replied to him, although, in his mind Duskmon thought to himself, _"How can you forget? I know because I _am _a part of you..."_

* * *

><p>"It seems as though your words have a opposite effect on him," the old man noted.<p>

Silence was Katsuya's answer.

"What? No retort from the young Kanbara?" the old man chuckled.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're enjoying how things are progressing, old man." Katsuya huffed, crossing his arms on his chest. "It makes me wonder if you are on our side or not."

"I'm pretty sure your father would have slapped you at the back of your head for saying something like that."

"Fortunately for me he isn't here, then." Katusya sighed. "Though it was him who first warned them, it seems like he doesn't want to meddle this time around—just like you."

"You know why that is," the old man replied, the jovial tone he had used earlier was gone.

Katusya nodded, summoning the Elemental Swords that belonged to him on one hand and on the other, the sword that once belonged to his sister. "I know, it's just...I can feel the weight of the responsibility placed upon me by these swords and by the hope and will of my parents. And, with the Kouichi and Duskmon the only ones remaining...with Yumi taken...well, it makes you wish that I have more help than what I have right now."

"It could have been worse, Katsuya." The old man said, growing all sage-like. "Kouichi may have been taken as well. It could have just been you fighting."

"Right now, old man," Katsuya retorted, "it feels like that's the case."

* * *

><p>There was darkness all around them and though Lobomon and Agunimon both tried lighting the place up, all that their powers gave them was a flicker and it made them all feel the direness of the situation. It was worse than they had previously believed.<p>

"This is bad," Kazemon voiced out what they were all thinking.

Agunimon nodded, keeping the flickering flame in the palm of his hand from going out—which is not as easy as it sounded, despite being the Spirit of Fire.

"I don't think we can keep going like this," Mercurymon said. "At least, not without Duskmon's help."

"Mercurymon is right," Loweemon nodded. "This is not the kind of darkness that we, alone, can shed light to."

Lobomon, however, did not agree with Mercurymon and Loweemon. "Even if Duskmon can get to us—and I doubt he'd be able to do so—this darkness will not dissipate unless _they_ will it so."

Silence filled the group. Though they hated to admit it, under such a circumstance, they were powerless. They knew what the darkness enveloping them were. They knew where it came from and how to make it disappear. But, even with such knowledge, they can do nothing to act up on it. This was not their fight. This was the _Spirit Shinker's _fight.

"And it seems like they have yet to realize that fact," Grumblemon sighed. "Which means that we have to float around here for a little while longer. That is, of course, if they really still have the power to overcome—"

"Losing faith with our human partners already, Grumblemon?" Ranamon asked, a jovial tone in her voice.

"Not yet." Grumblemon replied. "But, I'm beginning to."

* * *

><p>Katsuya was very much ticked off as he walked through the halls of the old man's castle.<p>

It had already been three days! Three days since he last spoke with Kouichi and still the young Kimura had done nothing but stay in his room.

Katsuya had hoped to rekindle something within Kouichi with the words he had said. He had hoped that those words would inspire the Bearer of the Tainted Spirit of Darkness to act—something that he knew his father would have done under the circumstances. Sighing, Katsuya wondered if he had done the wrong thing. He had pegged Kouichi as being somewhat similar to his father in nature. Now, Katsuya wondered if that wasn't the case anymore, or if it was really the case to begin with.

Though at any other instances Katsuya could have done something else himself, at this particular instance, he was left to wait for Kouichi to regain whatever it was he had lost in himself—for although Katsuya can sense that something within Kouichi had indeed change, he did not know what it was. He could not pinpoint it.

The thing was, without the aid of Kouichi—and, of course, of Duskmon—it would be hard for Katsuya to save his "sister". He was certainly going to be overpowered by the enemy if he tried to go on a solo rescue mission...

"What is he waiting for?" Katusya mumbled to himself, glaring at the door to Kouichi's room as he passed by it. "Doesn't he care about Yumi at all? Doesn't he want to rescue her?"

* * *

><p><em>Hey, how long do you really plan on doing nothing?<em>

…

_Are you just going to sit there? Don't you want to find and rescue that girl, Yumi?_

...

_Kouichi! _

…

_Really, after all this time, is this all you are capable of doing now? Don't you care about what happens to the world? Don't you want to get back at our attacker?_

…

_Tch. You're really pathetic. Don't listen to me then. It's not like I care for that girl or for what happens to the world because of your dilly-dallying._

…

Duskmon couldn't believe how his host was acting. He also couldn't believe what he just did: trying to get Kouichi to act. He could sense impatience in the air and figured he was not the only one who wanted Kouichi to do something.

Though he had slept inside of Kouichi for a while, after the events leading up to Yumi's reappearance, he had thought that Kouichi had remained the same. It seemed, however, that he was mistaken...if Katsuya Kanbara could see something that he cannot. But, despite what Katsuya had seen, to say that he trusts Duskmon now more than he trusts Kouichi is a bit extreme. He was the Tainted Spirit. He was capable of deceit. One should not easily trust him.

But, why is it that he felt a sense of...happiness...when he heard Katsuya say that? What was that about?

Duskmon shook the thought out of his head. He had more pressing matters to think about. It was obvious that Katsuya was waiting for Kouichi to make the first move—to show any indication that he was willing and ready to face the battles ahead. Why Katsuya needed the boy, Duskmon really didn't know. He wished he could ask him but, with Kouichi still in control, that's out of the question.

The thought of forcing Kouichi to submit his body to him crossed Duskmon's mind more than once but...for some reason or another, he could not do it...especially not after hearing Katsuya's words.

"I am _not_ going soft," he repeated to himself like a mantra. "I am just not in the mood for it. But...if Kouichi continues to not lift a finger like this, I may be forced to do so..."

* * *

><p><em>Where am I?<em>

_Who am I?_

_What am I doing here?_

_What was I doing before?_

_Is anyone there?_

_How long have I been here?_

_Why can't I remember?_

Voices echoed in the darkness that Yumi found herself in.

It was cold and where the tendrils of shadow touched her, she felt chills run up and down her spine. What's more, those voices sounded familiar.

_Who are they?_ She wondered, trying to keep her mind from remembering the gruesome figure that had brought her to her prison. She tried to keep herself from thinking about the who, what, and where that plagued her capture. She didn't want to think about those things, even as those thoughts kept on creeping back to her mind.

_Nothing will come out of thinking about those things. _She had thought to herself. _I don't know what's happening and even if I did, I don't have any power—any means—of getting out of here. _

She didn't want to feel hopeless. But it seemed that, apart from fear, hopelessness was the only emotion that was left of her. She didn't want that _monster_ to come back and touch her and make her do whatever it is that it wants. She wanted to get out of there. She wanted to go home.

Yumi hugged herself, though she could no longer feel anything with her hands and her fingers. It was like she was already frostbitten.

_Had I been fighting?_

_Who—?_

_Can anyone hear me?_

_Am I alone again?_

_What is this place?_

The voices kept on echoing around her and for some reason, they started to hurt her ears. Tears started welling up in Yumi's eyes. Why she was crying, she didn't know.

Suddenly the voices stopped. She could no longer hear anything and Yumi feared that the cold had caused her eardrums to freeze and shatter.

"What's going on?" She asked aloud, stuttering. When she heard her words bounce back in the darkness, the fear of turning deaf eased from her mind.

"Feeling comfortable now, child?" the ominous voice asked and a heavy presence filled the air. At once she knew that _he_ had returned to torment her. "I sure hope so."

Yumi backed away slowly, not wanting to be near the monster that had separated her from Kouichi and brought her to this place—wherever the hell this place was.

The being laughed and she could hear him inhaling.

"Ah, the smell of fear. How _intoxicating_!"

Her heart pounded. She could feel him nearing and she wanted desperately to run, but she found that she couldn't.

"Now," a freezing cold hand grabbed her by the neck, "why don't we continue where we had left off before?"

It may be because of the fear, or because of the lack of oxygen caused by his grip on her neck, but Yumi slowly began to lose consciousness. The last thing she could remember thinking was calling out for help, to the one person she hoped could hear her.

_Kouichi, where are you? Help me!_

* * *

><p>Kouichi's head suddenly perked up. It was as if he felt...something.<p>

"Did you say something, Duskmon?" He asked, the first question he had asked Duskmon after he had decided not to speak to him.

_What? Are you hearing other voices now?_ However, was Duskmon's reply. _And talking to me now, too._

"Guess not..." Kouichi shrugged.

But even as he thought that perhaps it was merely his imagination, a part of Kouichi still felt as though something was wrong. He just didn't know what that was.


	13. Kouichi's Uncertainty

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

I deeply apologize for being in hiatus for so long. If any of you have been following me on Twitter or have subscribed on my blog, you'd know perfectly the reason for that. If not, well, it's because of the book I had published (currently available on a number of online and mortal and brick stores worldwide) and the second book that I am currently writing (which will also be published). That had been eating up a lot of my time and had made it difficult for me to update any of my fanfics. Rest assured that I am going to finish every single one of my fanfics here in FFN (especially the McLaina Story one). It's just going to take a bit longer for that to happen with everything going on, though.

Anyways, thank you for your patience (and, hopefully, understanding as well) and I hope you enjoy this new chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Twelve**

**Kouichi's Uncertainty**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_Der Mensch kann was er soll;_

_und wean er sagt er kann nicht,_

_so will er nicht._

_A man can do what he ought to do;_

_and when he says he cannot,_

_it is because he will not._

.::.

* * *

><p>"What do you mean you want to meet him, old man?" Katsuya couldn't believe what he had just heard, so much so that he found himself standing up and demanding an answer. Not that he didn't always demand answers but, this was one question he was not going to allow the old man <em>not<em> to answer.

"Exactly what I said," the old man calmly answered, sipping his tea afterwards.

"B-But, why!?" Katsuya couldn't understand it. "You never meet with anyone, especially anyone who is not from the Dead Sea of Dreams."

The old man looked at Katsuya, an eyebrow raised, "But I met with you."

That stopped Katsuya from saying anything more. He couldn't argue with that. The old man had a point. Though he wanted to say that it was different with him, he knew that that really wasn't the case. Here, in the old man's palace, the past, the present, and the future held no meaning. It didn't matter if he came from the future or if Kouichi came from the present...or if it was all thanks to Kouichi and Yumi that this whole apocalypse is going to come raining down on them.

Sighing, Katsuya shook his head and said, "Even if you do meet with him, I doubt that it would do any good."

"You don't know that, Katsuya." the old man admonished.

* * *

><p>"Who?" Kouichi asked after he had gotten past the initial surprise with the fact that Katsuya had once again visited him and was asking him to get himself ready.<p>

"The old man," Katsuya replied, sounding a little bit cold and distant.

"Yes, I get that. I am going to meet with an old man. What I'm asking is the old man's name." Kouichi huffed as he put on the clothes Katsuya had thrown at him.

Katsuya looked at him like he had asked the stupidest question known to man.

"What?" Kouichi asked.

"You don't ask that question. Ever." Katsuya almost growled in response.

"Why?"

"You just...don't. Anyway, enough of this. I'll wait for you outside. Don't take long."

And then Katsuya left. Once he did, Kouichi stared confused at the door. He wasn't, after all, expecting Katsuya to come to him. He also wasn't expecting to meet the host of the palace he was staying in.

Kouichi wondered what the old man could possibly want and who, exactly, the old man was. Not being given much to go on, Kouichi's imagination caused him to come up with various identities, all of them crazier than the next. Shaking those thoughts from his head, Kouichi went about preparing for the unexpected meeting.

Once he was sure that he looked presentable enough, Kouichi went out of his room to meet with Katsuya. It was the first time he ever stepped out of the confines of his room ever since he arrived at the palace.

Katsuya nodded at him to follow, and Kouichi did. The two of them walked down hallway after hallways made of what Kouichi believed to be crystals. It was a miracle that he wasn't blinded by the luster of the walls, the floors and the ceiling. Various pottery and statues, as well as crystalized plants dotted the hallways. Grand chandeliers hung in the ceilings, candelabras on the walls.

After a while, Kouichi found himself staring at what appeared to be the main hall with two curving staircases on each side reaching up to the second floor. In the middle of said staircases was a large door that led to who-knows-where. The ceiling of that hall was transparent and he could see past the glass that hung above, thereby being able to view the cloudless, night sky.

In the middle of this hall was a circle of well-trimmed grass and flowers that Kouichi had never seen before.

"Come on," Katsuya said, breaking whatever thoughts about the place Kouichi had brewing in his mind.

"R-right," Kouichi followed, looking back at the small patch of land in the middle of the room, all the while wondering why it was there.

_Perhaps the old man likes flowers..._ He thought to himself as Katsuya led him towards the large doors which automatically opened up for them with a groan.

Kouichi had to squint his eyes when a sudden bright light erupted as the doors opened, blinding him. As the reflection of moonlight hitting the crystal floors receded, Kouichi quickly blinked his eyes to bring back his eyesight. Seeing this, Katsuya said, "Sorry. I should have warned you about that."

"Yeah, you should have." Kouichi said as he rubbed his eyes.

Seconds later, his eyesight was back to normal and he was greeted with a strange-looking room and an old man.

The room was wide and was shaped like an egg—domed. It was simple and held no decorations save for a couple of plants by the entrance. A large window, encompassing the whole northern wall, gave them all a view to the evening landscape of the Dead Sea of Dreams. Curved, white, marble sofas encircled the center of the room where a floating globe-like object rested. The whole room was lighted naturally, through the large window, by the moon and the sun—depending on what time of day it was.

As soon as Kouichi had stopped gawking at the room, he turned his gaze to the old man standing by the floating-globe-thing.

There was nothing to denote that the "old man" Katsuya had said wanted to meet him was, indeed, old. The "old man" standing before him, after all, wasn't like what he imagined him to be. He didn't look like Gandalf. He didn't look sage-like at all.

The "old man" looked more like an "older man" so much so that Kouichi pegged him to be somewhere around his forties with hair the color of platinum-silver. The old man's face was wrinkled, but not so much that he looked a little over that particular age-range that Kouichi had labeled him in. His eyes were as blue as the bluest of oceans and seem to sparkle with something that Kouichi can't quite identify...not yet, at least.

He wore lose clothing that made him look like an Arabian monarch, minus the headdress. A pair of sandals were on his feet.

The old man smiled when he saw Kouichi and greeted, "Finally, we meet in person, Kouichi Kimura."

The jovial tone to the old man's voice, surprised Kouichi so much so that it took a while for him to bow and thank his host for having him. "T-thank you for having me and I apologize for the trouble I may have caused you."

The old man waved his hand in dismissal, "Ah, no need for that. And no need to sound so formal, too."

"Ah, r-right." Kouichi righted himself, then he followed Katsuya as the other young man sat down.

"I am certain you already perceived why I asked to meet you, although Katsuya seems to disagree with me in this course of action." the old man said.

Katsuya huffed, though he didn't seem embarrassed having been called out by the old man like that. Kouichi nodded. At the back of his mind he suspected it had something to do with his inability to do anything to help Yumi.

"Let's be honest, shall we?" The old man continued on, "We would not be in a dire situation, facing the imminent destruction of all worlds, if neither you or Yumi sent forth your desires to be able to live in a world that would not pose a problem with your relationship with one another. Though there are countless of explanations that stemmed from such an act to explain why we are in such a situation, there is one prominent fact that ties it all together: because of your wish, though innocent and not harboring any intent to push forth the apocalypse, you and Yumi created a different future—branching it away from the future that would have otherwise been the path all worlds would walk on. The consequences of your actions will forever be a burden that you have to carry, Kouichi Kimura."

_This old man doesn't hold back. _Duskmon commented.

Expecting that the old man would not be able to hear him, both Kouichi and Duskmon were surprised when the old man suddenly addressed the Tainted Spirit, "The time for holding back has long past, Duskmon. No amount of words can sugarcoat what Yumi and Kouichi had inadvertently done. Kouichi must come to understand and carry the weight of the burden."

"You can hear Duskmon's words?" Kouichi asked surprised as soon as the old man had finished talking.

"Yes, I can. It is one of the many things I am able to do."

_If I can converse with you this way, then perhaps you can answer my question, old man._ Duskmon said. _Why do you need to keep mentioning what Kouichi has done? Surely he understand that by now._

"There is a big difference between understanding something and accepting it." the old man answered. "It is true that Kouichi has come partly to that understanding that all of this could be traced to both him and Yumi, and the guilt he feels for it is apparent. However, one has to wonder if Kouichi had truly accepted the fact. Judging by how you are acting, and your current state of mind, I would say that you have yet to come to accept the consequences of your actions."

Kouichi looked away, unsure as to how to respond to that especially with Katsuya observing. Duskmon also kept quiet for he knew better than speak on Kouichi's behalf. He felt that it was something Kouichi need to deal by himself.

Seeing as neither would speak, the old man went on, "It is not easy to end up with such a deduction. After all, if you truly understood and accepted everything, you would not have remained here, in my abode, for long. You would have rushed out to stop the catastrophe that has been set to motion. You would have done everything in your power in order to rescue Yumi. But, instead, you chose not to. Whether that decision is born of pride or shame, one can only guess...after all, pride can easily be hidden as something else and it takes a good sense of character to know when to lay down your pride and see what it is that caused Katsuya's contempt."

"I am not here to make you feel guilty, Kouichi Kimura. I had not asked to meet with you, breaking eons of traditions, just to make you feel that way. How you feel from my words is something I cannot control. But you are here for a reason and I will attempt to put you back in track. Perhaps you can tell me why you chose not to act."

Kouichi exhaled, "I didn't see what I could possibly do. During that battle with those shadow creatures, I was unable to do anything...and anything that Duskmon tried proved futile."

"So, you figured that there as nothing you can do to thwart the plans of the Evil One?" the old man asked, a thoughtful expression on his face. "But, I believe you fail to see something, Kouichi. Despite how difficult Duskmon found it to be, despite how it seemed nothing was working, did you not see how he continued to fight? I am afraid that with how you lost sight of that, the Evil One might have already have a hold of you."

"W-what do you mean?" Kouichi asked. Duskmon remained silent.

"Light always exist amidst the darkness," the old man explained. "Everyone has light inside of them...even Duksmon, though it might seem strange to think of with him being the Tainted Spirit of Darkness. But, it remains true. Light shines in the hearts of all. The Evil One can get a hold of a person's heart by three things: fear, anger, and hopelessness. His grip on a person's heart strengthens with time unless that person becomes aware of it. It would seem like you are in the hands of fear, for if that wasn't the case, you would have done everything within your power to summon the Elemental Sword and you would have succeeded."

"You knew about that whole Elemental-Sword-business, huh?" Kouichi sighed, a sad smile on his face.

"There's nothing the old man doesn't know about, especially when it is within his realm." Katsuya supplied.

Kouichi then turned his attention back at the old man who awaited his response.

Shaking his head, Kouichi gave a soft, bitter laugh. "I suppose you're right then. But you can't honestly blame me for not being able to summon the Elemenal Sword of Light. What I did before, back then, it was an accident—even though everyone seem to think otherwise. Given how I am now, it is impossible for me to call it again."

"It is only impossible because you believe it to be so. A man can accomplish great things if he doesn't limit himself to what he _thinks_ is impossible." the old man argued. "The sword would have reacted to your need had you believed that you can wield it. But, for whatever reason, it seems you have forgotten about it. And here I thought you held the same fervent and burning will as Takuya Kanbara."

"I'm not him." Kouichi said. How many times had he heard such comparison? "Takuya...is a strong person. I, on the other hand...well, I'm not like him at all."

"Yes, you have made that quite apparent." Katsuya shook his head.

"Katsuya, enough!" the old man admonished. "Do not strain your relationship with this boy more than it is already strained. The fate of the world, of your sister, and of your friends hangs in the shoulders of your teamwork...which is sorely nonexistent." He then turned towards Kouichi and said, "You understand why he speaks that way to you, do you not?"

Kouichi nodded.

"You and Takuya shared the same kind of will. Both you and him are not easily deterred and value loyalty and friendship so strongly that one might think it is both your fatal flaws. The burning fire that allowed Takuya to be the Bearer of the Spirit of Fire also resides within you, though not of equal strength. Which is why you must overcome whatever darkness currently resides in you, the same way Duskmon overcame his own darkness...and you must overcome it soon. If not, I am afraid that the fate of your friends and of the worlds are sealed."

"You keep separating that: the fate of world and the fate of our friends." Kouichi noticed.

"That is because the demise of one is much more closer than the other." the old man replied, confusing Kouichi.

It irked Katsuya so much that he ended up saying, "He means that Takuya and the others are going to die even before the world ends."

* * *

><p>Kouichi stared at the darkened sky, his bedroom window wide open letting the breeze blow in and gently ruffle his hair. He wasn't expecting to learn that Takuya and the others had been defeated by a group who called themselves 'The Valkyries'. He didn't expect to hear the old man supply him with information that pertained to the status of their captivity—or, the captivity of their consciousness, rather.<p>

He had learned that after dealing with them, The Valkyries separated their consciousness from their bodies, taking it to the realm where the Evil One resides. So, not only does he need to find and rescue Yumi, he also needed to find a way to reach his friends and bring them back to their senses. He questioned how he would be able to do that when he, himself, was having trouble bringing himself back to the person the old man and Katsuya believed him to be.

_We have to act soon, Kouichi..._ Duskmon spoke to him. _Don't you think that you've had enough time sulking?_

_Don't you think I know that, Duskmon?_ Kouichi conversed back telepathically. _I know I have to act. I know I have to work with Katsuya...but the way I am now, I am only a burden to him and his mission. _

_Doing nothing makes you a burden._ Duskmon argued. _Though you may feel that you, yourself, are powerless, you have to remember that you are not alone. I am here, ready to help...and so is Katsuya, though he may act like he does not want to have anything to do with you. That should be enough to make you act. _

Kouichi remained silent, giving Duskmon time to add, _Besides, your uncertainty is only natural. Everyone feels uncertain, and everyone feels the same fear you harbor in your heart when given such a monumental task. However, you must overcome your fear. You must not allow it to stop you. You might have lost the power to summon the sword, but that doesn't make you powerless. Take one step, work to regain that which you have lost. That is better than doing nothing._

A longer round of silence filled the air before Kouichi burst out laughing. He laughed so hard that he had his arms wrapped around his stomach and tears running down his eyes.

_W-what's so funny?_ Duskmon querried, confused at the sudden outburst. He had never seen Kouichi laugh like that before, not since the whole fiasco with Yumi started. _Did you find anything funny with what I had just said?_

_No,_ Kouichi replied, wiping the tears from his eyes. _No. There was absolutely nothing funny about it. I just find it amusing that you are the one telling me that. That you are trying to lift my spirits up. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're Loweemon and not Duskmon._

_I-Idiot! Don't say stuff like that!_

Kouichi calmed down after that, a small smile on his lips. _I don't know what truly brought the change to you, Duskmon...just as I don't know what caused _me _to change so much so that I've forgotten things I've learned back in the Digital World but...I am grateful for your words. Thank you._

_D-Don't think anything of it. I just don't like seeing you acting so pathetic._ Countered Duksmon, then he asked, _So, does that mean—?_

Kouichi nodded.

It was time.


	14. Darkness Rising

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

This really was an update that was a long time coming. I'm really sorry for the delay. Too many things to do, especially now with the book I had just published and with the second book just a couple of edits short of finished. Anyways, I haven't abandoned this fanfic. I do intend to finish it. So, for those who are still sticking around, thank you. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I will update again next week.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

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><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Darkness Rising**

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><p>.::.<p>

_Brief as the lightning in the collied night,_

_That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth,_

_And ere a man had power to say, Behold!_

_The jaws of darkness do devour it up. _

.::.

* * *

><p><em>I would still call it running away.<em> Duskmon told Kouichi as he trudged the path that—according to Katsuya—would bring them closer to where the Evil One was currently sealed.

It had been two days since they left the old man's palace. Ever since he had expressed his desire to act and ever since they had started on their journey, leaving the palace behind, Kouichi had instantly given Duskmon the reigns to his body, telling Duskmon that it would be better that way. After all, it was the Tainted Spirit of Darkness who could fight. Duskmon, however, believed that Kouichi was merely escaping having to deal with Katsuya. After all, Kouichi had proved at one point that he _could _fight. When Duskmon had taken over Kouichi's body, Katsuya did not say anything about it.

Though Kouichi had finally showed initiative, it didn't change the disdainful looks Katsuya was giving him. Ever since Duskmon emerged once more, he had been taunting Kouichi with it, asking the young man how he would change and become stronger if he chooses to run away from something as simple as socializing with Katsuya Kanbara. Kouichi, however, chose not to say anything that may fuel the taunts further.

_Call it whatever you want then. But, as far as I'm concerned, I'm _not_ running away!_

Duskmon let out a small laugh at that as he weaved his way through the boulders and other forms of debris that littered the ground. Their first order of business was to retrace their steps back to the place where Yumi was lost. How this path would actually bring them closer to the Evil One that Katsuya and the old man spoke of, Duskmon wasn't entirely sure. He had his suspicions but found it best to keep it to himself until Katsuya finally decides to divulge the details.

After a while, however, Duskmon's patience began to run thin and he didn't have any choice but to ask, "What, exactly, do we hope to accomplish by going back there? I thought you and the old man already know where the Evil One is hiding."

"We do know that," Katsuya replied. "But, you have to admit that, under the current circumstance—with your powers being useless against his minions and with Kouichi being just as useless since he can't summon the Elemental Sword of Light—that meeting the Evil One head-on is stupid."

"Go on," Duskmon urged when Katsuya stopped speaking and he knew that the explanation wasn't finished.

"There is a possibility that we can find a back-door to the Evil One's lair. After all, he did use some form of portal to take Yumi away. If we can still find traces of that portal and if we can manage to re-open it without his knowledge, it will save us the hassle of traversing a much dangerous path."

"And that plan of yours certainly has a lot of 'ifs'." Duskmon couldn't help but point out. He was, after all, not a fan of uncertainties.

Katsuya nodded. "Yes, it does. But, we don't really have much of a choice with just the two of us."

"If there are no traces of the portal left, what then?" Duskmon queried. "It's been a long time since we were there, after all. For all we know the portal could have just been a one-time deal."

"Let's hope not," Katsuya said with a sigh.

The duo went on their way in silence after that, their focus mainly on getting to their destination without breaking a limb or giving themselves any other form of injury as the mountains have become much more treacherous since Kouichi and Yumi had been there. Though both Katsuya and Duskmon doubt that any shadow creatures would be lying in wait to ambush them, they did not lower their guard, both had their weapons drawn making it harder to get to their destination. When they finally arrived, however, there was no danger awaiting them.

"What now?" Duskmon asked, not really sure how they would go about finding the portal. Opening a portal, sure, he knows a thing or two. But finding traces of one that has been used? He has yet to learn how to do just that.

"Now," Katsuya said, taking a deep breath and rubbing his palms together. "I get to work."

* * *

><p>The old man watched the light within the orb faltering. He hoped that Katsuya and Kouichi would both get there on time. He could feel the Evil One almost finished with his preparations and could feel the life force of the other <em>Spirit Shinkers<em> slowly becoming but a mere flicker in the darkness. All of them were wavering, it wouldn't take long before they were finally consumed.

But, despite the old man's words to Kouichi, which seemed harsh, he knew that Kouichi would not be the one to light the path for the others. That was not his mission. His mission was to save Yumi and ensure that the Evil One does not use her. The salvation of the others rest elsewhere.

He couldn't help but wonder how things have become so messy. There was only supposed to be one future that the world would progress into after the _Spirit Shinkers_ had done their job of saving the world from Chronosmon. Even though the future was truly unforeseeable, there should have been no means for it to divert so much that the worlds now faced the dawn of the apocalypse. Though he had seen that there was a chance for Kouichi and Yumi to fall in love with each other, such a relationship between the two of them should have only given them the consequence. The worlds should not have been involved.

And yet, here they all were: at the beginning of the end.

Though the old man knew that there was no point in trying to rouse the past, he couldn't help but think that the answer to all that—including the question as to how the Evil One could have been brought forth with such a strong desire from the two human children. Even coupled with the selfish desires that all the worlds combined were wishing, two humans wishing to be together despite their predicament should not have made much of an impact to the seal.

It was as the old man was thinking about this that he suddenly understood what it was that made Kouichi and Yumi's wish have such a powerful and unprecedented consequence. What made them different.

Though the situation was dire, the old man couldn't keep the smile from forming in his place.

_Perhaps I have been grievously mistaken._ He thought to himself. _If _that_ is the case then, should all else fail, we still have an ace up our sleeves..._

* * *

><p>There was no pain.<p>

There was no warmth.

What there was, was nothingness.

No memory penetrated her thoughts. Try as she might, she couldn't remember anything, not even who she was. It didn't bother her, though. Nothing bothered her. Why should it? What could she possibly gain from it?

She could feel nothing.

She could hear nothing.

But it doesn't matter.

Not anymore.

Still, there was a nagging thought that kept her thoughts from completely turning into the void. Her mind kept telling her that she was waiting...for something. She just couldn't take hold of what that 'something' was. If she tried hard to think about it, it slips just as quickly from her head as it does when the thought simply passes her by.

It was strange but that nagging thought was just enough to make her hold on...if just for a little while longer.

* * *

><p><em>Yes, yes, YES!<em>

He couldn't help the elation he felt as power, dark and infinite, began to coalescence at him. It made him giddy with excitement just thinking about all the things he could accomplish.

_Just a little bit more...I just need a little bit more power. Then I will _finally _be free from this wretched prison!_

He had waited eons for that moment to arrive, the moment when he would finally be set free and would be capable of wreaking havoc and revenge upon those that had imprisoned him and their descendants. He had already done away with the Pillars of the Digital World, with the exception of the Pillar of Darkness. He had tried finishing the Valkyries' job but had found, as surprising as it may be, that he could no longer sense the presence of the man in question.

_Of course, it must be because of The Paradox. He must be the one keeping me from sensing the Pillar of Darkness' presence._

The thought of The Paradox infuriated him. The Paradox was the only piece in his chessboard that was unpredictable. It was the only piece that could unravel eons of hard work and careful planning.

_And that is why The Paradox must be eliminated. _He smiled to himself upon thinking that. He really didn't need any reason, but having one makes things a lot more interesting and fun.

He couldn't help but laughing louder as he waited for the Valkyries to make their report. He was certain one of them would be able to find the wretched Pillar and the Paradox and put an end to both of their existence.

* * *

><p>"This is proving to be futile," Duskmon couldn't help but comment as he watched Katsuya moved from one place to another, examining things, and muttering to himself before shaking his head and repeating the process again and again.<p>

Katsuya stopped what he was doing and turned to face Duskmon, glaring at him.

"What? I am just stating what is slowly becoming painfully obvious." He then propped his chin on his hand and said, "Besides, don't give me that look like all I've been doing is complaining."

"Why not? That's what you've been doing anyway," Katsuya retorted, going back to looking over the seemingly bottomless pit.

"I would gladly do something—anything, really—if you'd let me help," Duskmon was not without a comeback. "But, no. You want to do this by yourself."

"I don't want to do this by myself. It's not about that! It's about this being only something I can do."

Duskmon shrugged. He didn't really plan on arguing or riling up the young Kanbara. With Kouichi not wanting to talk to him, Katsuya was the only person around who could save him from boredom.

Duskmon was about to leave Katsuya alone to whatever it was the kid was supposed to do when he suddenly felt something...odd. Quickly, he got to his feet, his ears and eyes strained for any movement.

Katsuya noticed his sudden change of demeanor and asked, "What's wrong?"

The Tainted Spirit of Darkness didn't answer at once, which caused Kouichi to ask him the same question. But Duskmon still refused to budge, telling them both to "Shut up" which didn't really improve either of the two's mood.

Like Izumi, Katsuya didn't appreciate being told that. Angrily, he stomped over to Duskmon and stood in front of him, his arms crossed. Duskmon glared back at him but then quickly scanned the area.

"I have a bad feeling about this," were the words that soon came out of his mouth. "I don't know who or what they are but they're drawing close...and they mean to do us harm."

_Who?_ Kouichi asked. He couldn't think of anyone else, aside from the Evil One, that may want to harm them.

_If I knew the answer to that question, I would've said so._

Katsuya frowned and looked over to where Duskmon had faced his crimson gaze. "Don't tell me...the Valkyries?"

"The guys who defeated the other _Spirit Shinkers_?" Duskmon asked, just to clarify, even though it was hard to forget something like that.

Sure enough, Katsuya nodded, the grim expression on his face darkening. "We can't let them find us. Those guys aren't a joke. They're in a whole different level than both of us combined."

"So, what do we do? We can't just abandon our search for the traces of the portal," Duskmon didn't like the idea of running away, but if it meant that he would be able to fight for another day, he was going to take that route.

Katsuya thought for a while. It was going to be hard but he thought that he could do it. He had gathered as much information as he could. Besides, the worst that could happen—with an incomplete set of data—was that they'd be transported somewhere else in the Dead Sea of Dreams. If it was between that and being erased by the Valkyries, he would rather end up in the River of Beginnings and have all of his memories erased.

He told Duskmon just as much. Without looking back, the two began traversing the way they came in a hurry.


	15. Flickers and Wisps

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

This update may come as a surprise but, well, it's a pleasant one (I hope, :D). Probably will be able to update again within this week, although that depends if I get the phone call I am waiting for or not. If I get that call, you can expect that there will be no updates.

Also, have you guys seen the trailer for the PSP Digimon Adventures game (which, Namco-Bandai probably won't be localizing...which sucks)? It looks awesome!

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It's a bit long, but not too much.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

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><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Flickers and Wisps**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_One who never turned his back but marched breast forward,_

_Never doubted clouds would break,_

_Never dreamed, though right were worsted, wrong would triumph,_

_Held we fall to rise, are baffled to flight better._

_Sleep to wake. _

.::.

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><p><em>Man, that was way too pathetic.<em>

"What? Who's there?" Kira asked, hearing someone speak at such a close distance to him.

It was too dark and he couldn't see. He had thought himself alone in that dark place and hearing that voice made him wonder if that was really the case. It was strange, however. Usually he would know if someone was close enough to him. How could he not have felt the presence of another? Kira wondered.

_Where am I? How did I get here? What am I doing here? Who was that who attacked me and why?_ The voice mimicked Kira as it spoke. _Is that all you can do? Ask question after question hoping that someone would feed you the answers? Is that all you are capable of doing?_

Kira strained his eyes to look at the direction from where he could hear the voice. He hoped to see a silhouette, or even any indication that there was someone there. But, no matter how much he forced himself to see, it was like he was rendered blind...and not merely in the way that complete darkness could make a person feel that way.

_I suppose, I should have expected it. Humans are weak creatures, easily corrupted, destroyed, and played with._

"That's-"

_To think, and even believe, that humanity has power is a laughable thing. Weak creatures such as yourselves only know about running away when the going gets tough. Self-preservation takes over if you feel overpowered. Even when you have the means to fight, to rise up to the occasion, what did you chose to do? You chose to run!_

* * *

><p><em>Why must man be the center of the universe, of space, of time? Humanity is nothing but a sea of endless hypocrisy. You destroy that which must be protected; you run from that which must be defended. Do you not agree that humans such as yourselves are weak, Hitakaru?<em>

"I-" Hitakaru swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat. "Why are you asking me?"

_I ask because are those not your thoughts? You hide behind the excuse of protecting those that are dear to you when the truth is that you are merely afraid._

"I don't understand what you're talking about!" Hitakaru shouted back at the voice who was accusing him of things.

_Tell me, Hitakaru Juinichi, what becomes of thos whom you love should the world be destroyed?_

* * *

><p><em>'If the world ends, let it end!' Isn't that what you were thinking, Max?<em>

"No!" Max shook his head, "I wasn't thinking that!"

_'Why should I bother sacrificing myself when Takuya, Kouji, Izumi, Junpei, Tomoki, and Kouichi would surely be able to save the world again? We're not really needed. After all, compared to them, we're just extras in a play...' Why do you belittle yourself? Why do you believe that you are worthless? That you are _not _needed? Why do you choose to run away from your full potential? Why do you hide from growth?_

_Do you not see that those thoughts are a blatant disregard for yourself and for the others?_

"But, that's true, isn't it? Tell me, whoever you are, when did it actually matter that I was with the others? When had my power actually _meant _something more than just that of a pawn? They don't need me."

_So, the truth finally comes to light. You hid behind the excuse of staying with your mother._

"That wasn't an excuse!" Max truly believed what he had said. He didn't use his mother as an excuse. As an escape. That was why...

_Ah...I see. I think...I can understand it now...a little better._

* * *

><p>"Only an idiot would stay and throw his life away under such a circumstance!" Kira gritted his teeth, balled his fists. "To survive means to win; to win means to survive! Besides, I'm just an ordinary person, I could never hope to stand against that masked attacker."<p>

_Tell me then, Kira...did running away make any difference?_

Kira went silent. He didn't need to say it out loud. Being in that place-wherever the hell that place was-was an indication that something had gone terribly wrong.

_'No matter what you do, they will die. They will be destroyed.' That thought had already been in your mind while everyone was making a decision of whether to go or not. You have already made up your mind that the battle the others were going to be heading towards would be futile and would end only in despair. After all, it seems that no matter what it was they did, something always turns out wrong. You felt lucky that you could use your brothers and sisters as an excuse of exerting effort to actually do something to protect them and the future. _

Hitakaru sighed, feeling a sense of resignation. He could not understand how someone could know what he was thinking during that time.

"What does it matter to you? It's all over, isn't it? I'm already dead. This place must be Limbo or something like that."

_Is it now? Are you really? And yet, as you ask those questions, you seem consigned to your fate. Why do you give up so easily?_

"Because I am dead." Hitakaru couldn't help but feel angry at such a question. Does the owner of the voice not understand what that means? "What do you expect me to do? Fight my way out of the underworld?"

_That's precisely it._

* * *

><p>He felt anxious watching the <em>Spirit Shinkers<em>. He knew what they were experiencing in that damnable place. After all, he had experienced it too. He knew the confusion, the anger, the resignation, the despair in that place...the place that on would not be able to leave without the help of another.

He and the old man continued to watch as the voices continued to try to help the three _Spirit Shinkers_ realize what was holding them back. Though each of the three distinct voices approached the problem in their own way, all of them only have one thing that they wanted the three young men to fight against.

Fear.

It was the _Spirit Shinkers_ greatest adversary, and one of the many things that their current enemy would use against them...Unless they could look beyond their fears and doubts, they wouldn't be able to face their enemy at the End of Time, the Void Beyond.

It was strange for Katsuya to watch Kira, Hitakaru and Max's ordeal. What they were experiencing was, in a way, something personal, which was why he decided to step out of the old man's viewing chamber. Curious as he was to see how the three-and the rest of _Spirit Shinkers_-would fare against that place, he knew he couldn't stick around much longer. He and Kouichi had only returned back to the palace to wait out the Valkyries who were searching for them and to make preparations for summoning the portal that would (hopefully) bring them to Yumi.

As Katsuya began to walk away, he prayed that they would be able to break free from that world. Because, if they don't, none of them were going to make it, Takuya and the others would die...

And the hope of the future along with them...

* * *

><p>Kouichi didn't understand why Duskmon suddenly relinquished control of his body or why he was being silent. He didn't know if he had done something or said something that might have offended the Tainted Spirit of Darkness (not that offending him was hard), he would've just let him be if it weren't for the fact that dangerous people are looking for him-something that Katsuya didn't fail to inform him and Duskmon when they were hurrying back to the old man's palace.<p>

When Duskmon asked, on his behalf, why the Valkyries would be after him, Katsuya merely stated that it was because he was one of "The Pillars"...whatever _that_ means. When they asked just who the Valkyries were, Katsuya became all-cryptic and only told them that the Valkyries were the Evil One's minions, his knights who are sworn to do his bidding. It wasn't much of an explanation and nothing Katsuya said proved to be helpful for Kouichi and Duskmon to understand what was really going on.

Having to think of all of that, by himself, frustrated Kouichi which, in turn, surprised him. He didn't think he would become so dependent with Duskmon in such a short time as to hope that he would constantly be able to discuss things with him.

"Who would've thought?" Kouichi murmured to himself, shaking his head. He didn't know if he liked that...probably not. He paused for a moment, expecting Duskmon to say something. But, when Duskmon still remained silent, Kouichi frowned. "What is up with you, Duskmon? Now's really not the time to go AWOL."

* * *

><p>"What...am I doing here?" Duskmon couldn't keep the question from pouring out of his mouth as he looked around the darkness that confined him. He didn't know where he was exactly, but he knew <em>what<em> the place was. "I shouldn't be here. I can't be here."

"But you are," a voice spoke from behind him, a voice that Duskmon knew all-too-well. "Do you really think that by sticking around the human you wouldn't be dragged back to this place? As long as you and I are connected, we will always be able to meet like this."

Duskmon couldn't help but frown. He didn't really have any qualms with what the speaker had said. He didn't even think of the being he was conversing to as an enemy. He couldn't. Still, Duskmon couldn't quite understand why _he_ would even communicate with him now. This-their conversation-should not even be possible.

"Things are quickly changing," voice in the midst of darkness said, seemingly capable of reading Duskmon's mind. "The laws of the world and the rules governing all are quickly being rewritten by a force much more ancient than I, much more powerful. Though I am called as his harbinger, I am nothing compared to him. You do know of whom I speak, do you not, Duskmon?"

Duskmon closed his eyes, before he answered, "Of course...although, I have to admit, it took a while for me to actually realize it." He chuckled bitterly, "To face such a foe...I don't think any of us would be up to it."

"No one said we have to eliminate the thing," Duskmon was surprised when Loweemon suddenly appeared behind him. Of course, he shouldn't have. Loweemon is, after all, a part of _him. _"We can't really do that and, even if we can, it's not our place to. What we only need to do is seal him back until the one who _can_ defeat the Evil One appears. Isn't that right, Ancient Sphinxmon?"

At the mention of his name, Ancient Sphinxmon made himself known but only as a fuzzy projection, intangible and not really "alive". The ancient digimon's eyes, however, were much redder in color than those of Duskmon's and looked more real than the rest of him.

As he appeared, the two digimons in his presence bowed in reverence.

"It is as you have said, Loweemon," Ancient Sphinxmon confirmed. "Although...one has to wonder why you are pretending not to know what needs to be done, Duskmon. When the wheels of fate began to turn, when you have caught wind of the changes happening, you were confident enough to know what it is you need to do. However, now...I sense that you are wavering."

Duskmon was silent. He didn't know how to respond to that without making Ancient Sphinxmon think less of him.

Loweemon looked over at Duskmon's direction, wondering why his tainted counterpart was being silent. Usually, Duskmon would always make his opinions known-even when no one actually wants to hear him speak. He was forceful and arrogant.

But, the Duskmon he was with now was...different.

_Has Kouichi finally rubbed in on him?_ He wondered and found it to be amusing. _Has the cold-hearted Duskmon's heart finally been thawed?_

"It's not that I am wavering," Duskmon finally spoke when it became apparent that Ancient Sphinxmon wanted to hear his side of the story. "It has nothing to do with my resolve being weakened. It's just that there are a lot of things I am being burdened with that I don't know which one I should focus on first. The girl has been taken, the Evil One is rising, my host is incapable of fighting, and now we are being hunted by the Evil One's people-the very same people who had managed to make quick work of the other _Spirit Shinkers_. I think even Loweemon would have a hard time coping with all of that."

Loweemon snorted. He wasn't really taken aback with how Duskmon wanted to compare the two of them. _Well, I guess he's still the same Duskmon on the inside..._

Ancient Sphinxmon, however, seemed like he was weighing in on what Duskmon had said. Whether he ended up believing him or not, Duskmon wasn't entirely sure but he had more pressing matters to think about than what the ancient digimon thought of him and his "excuses". After a while, however, Ancient Sphinxmon decided it was better not to press the matter at Duskmon. He knew how the Tainted Spirit could be.

"Whatever is going on with you, Duskmon," the ancient one said, "I do hope that it will not cause problems for us...when the time comes."

"You don't need to tell me that," Duskmon muttered to himself though only loud enough for Loweemon to hear.


	16. Shadowy Strings Shadowy Stirrings

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

Yes! Another update!

Haha! Well, I figured I should at least give another update this week in celebration of "Thanksgiving". Anyways, this update may (or may not be) the last update for this week. Once again, that's dependent on my schedule and, well, the phone call I'm waiting for still hasn't arrived so...

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter that is meant to slowly built up what happens next. And, if you have any time to spare, do share a review (or two). Enjoy! :)

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Shadowy Strings; Shadowy Stirrings**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_A man of sense can artifice disdain,_

_As men of wealth may venture to go plain._

_I find the fool when I behold the screen,_

_For 'tis the wise man's interest to be seen._

.::.

* * *

><p>Kouichi found it strange. He didn't know if it was a sign—an omen of something terrible—or, if he was just over-thinking things again, but Duskmon had been acting strange. Stranger than he usually does ever since Kouichi managed to talk with him again after he gave him the "silent treatment" for no apparent reason. He hoped he was just thinking too much. He didn't know how much more of it he could take if what Katsuya was planning to do end with a disastrous conclusion.<p>

It wasn't that the Tainted Spirit of Darkness was causing troubles or spewing words that Kouichi couldn't understand. Those were things that he was used to Duskmon doing—or even thinking about. What Kouichi wasn't used to was Duskmon being quiet, contemplative even, to the point where the Digimon Spirit wouldn't even comment on how Kouichi had found it in himself to actually socialize with Katsuya.

_"Alright, spit it out,"_ Kouichi finally asked when he couldn't take Duskmon's sulking—or whatever it was that Duskmon was doing—hours later when Katsuya had finished his preparations for the portal that will, hopefully, bring them to the same location where Yumi and the others were being kept. _"What's wrong with you? Did I do something that you _didn't _like? Is that why you're ignoring me?"_

If Kouichi needed more proof that something was up, Duskmon's inability to answer him as soon as he had asked his question was proof enough. Frowning, Kouichi repeated his question and repeated it again and again until he simply decided to call Duskmon's name as loud as their telepathic communication would allow.

_"Huh? What? Did you say something?"_ Duskmon finally answered him after several more attempts on Kouichi's part.

Kouichi sighed, shaking his head as he made his way to meet with the old man. There was something Kouichi wished to ask him—something that he had failed to ask before.

_"I've said a lot of things already, and you haven't heard a single one of them,"_ He didn't bother to hide his annoyance. _ "Now really isn't the time to be spacing out, Duskmon. We only have a couple of hours left before we set out to rescue Yumi and the others."_

_"Ah, right...sorry,"_ Duskmon surprised Kouichi even more by apologizing. Having realized his mistake, Duskmon quickly shook it off. Hoping to steer Kouichi away from pointing out how out-of-character it was for him to apologize, Duskmon said, _"I met up with Loweemon."_

_"Loweemon? H-How? W-Where?"_ If Kouichi could have grabbed Duskmon by the shoulder and shook him for answers, he would have...probably. Well, maybe not but Kouichi wanted to know how Duskmon was able to converse with the Spirit of Darkness and if the said Digimon was willing to lend them a hand.

_"In..."_ Duskmon stopped. He couldn't tell Kouichi where. He wasn't in the position to divulge anything to him. Knowing that Kouichi was still waiting for his answer, Duskmon said, _"It's a bit complicated. I don't think I can explain it to you but Loweemon and I had a...talk."_

_"And...?"_ Clearly, Kouichi wasn't going to let Duskmon drop the subject. He was just too curious for his own good.

_"And, it seems, the other Spirts are missing as well. The Digital World is in turmoil because of it."_ It was easier to share that with Kouichi than share with him what other matters he, Loweemon, and Ancient Spinxmon discussed. Not only will it be too much for the young human to take but it would also require Duskmon to explain _how_ the ancient digimon—who is supposed to have disappeared along with the other Ancient Ten—was still around.

_"Does it have something to do with what happened to Takuya and the others?"_ Kouichi asked, somehow, he thought that that was possible.

_"It seems that way,"_ Duskmon let out a sigh. He couldn't help but wonder how things seem to continue piling up on him, one after another. _ "Either the Spirits had been trapped along with your friends or they've been completely wiped out by the enemy."_

Kouichi stopped in his tracks upon hearing Duskmon's words. His heart pounded with worry and fright with what his friends must be going through and the possibility that, as Duskmon have said, the Spirits were dead.

_No. Get a hold of yourself Kouichi._ He chastised himself. _This is not the time to be pessimistic._

_"Loweemon's going to try to find the others. He agreed to try and help us, although, he doesn't know just how much he and the others will be able to contribute considering...well, unlike me, they're all just data."_ Duskmon went on. _"But, well, the Digital World needs help and, if things are as messy there as they are in this world and the real world, we can bet that the same thing's happening in the Cyber World."_

Kouichi gritted his teeth. _How can this be happening? After everything we've been through to keep all of those worlds save...what was the point to everything then?!_

_"Don't think burden yourself with thinking that, Kouichi,"_ Duskmon surprised him with his words. _ "Everything that was done in the past was to save the future...what has been done, what _is _being done...all of them aren't as pointless as they may seem like right now. Everything that's happening has a reason."_

"Yeah, and I'm the reason for it..." Kouichi muttered as he opened the door that led to where the old man had agreed to meet with him.

Duskmon didn't say anything to tell him otherwise. Kouichi didn't know whether to be thankful for that or to end up feeling a bit more depressed than how he was already feeling. Shaking his head and forcing the dark thoughts away, Kouichi stepped inside the room.

* * *

><p>"So, Kouichi Kimura, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" The old man asked as soon as Kouichi had entered, though his back remained to him and he was still tending the crystalized flowers.<p>

Kouichi couldn't help but wonder why the old man had to put time and effort into taking care of those flowers.

_It's not as if they're going to wilt._ He thought to himself.

The old man then chuckled and turned around.

Surprising Kouichi, he said, "Though they may have been crystalized by the events that are transpiring—their time halted—these flowers still need care and attention. Otherwise, when time does regain its course...well, they may end up as merely a shadow of their former selves."

"Why do I have a feeling that you're not just talking about the flowers?" Kouichi asked. He didn't bother to hide the suspicious note in his voice.

The old man merely shrugged and went back to tending the flowers before asking, "So, what is it that you wished to ask me?"

"It's about the Valkyries...and, well, Yumi. Not the Yumi that was taken away by whoever this Evil One is, but the Yumi that's Katsuya's twin sister." Kouichi replied. His answer caught the attention of Duskmon, though the Tainted Spirit of Darkness didn't say anything about it at that time.

"And which do you want me to answer first?" there was a hint of a smile on the old man's voice as he asked the question.

Kouichi chose not to answer, though. He didn't know if he wanted to learn what had befallen the other Yumi. He, likewise, didn't want to learn more about their enemies and see just how futile it would all be. But, whether he wanted to or not wasn't the question. He knew he needed the answers to them, even if those answers might not be want he want to hear.

The old man chuckled and turned to face Kouichi once again, before motioning for the young man to follow him. As they walked the old man began telling him about the Valkyries.

"Dis, Hel, Skuld, Syn, and Meili. Those are the names of the members of the Evil One's elite. They're well-trained assassins who feast on the blood of their prey. Back before the Evil One was sealed, the five of them would wreck havoc wherever they went. Friend or foe, it doesn't matter to them. Once they have you on their sights, they will not hesitate to take your soul away."

"And what do they do with those souls they take? What have they done to Takuya and the others?" Kouichi's fears and worries did not go unnoticed.

"The souls are consumed, eaten by the Valkyries unless the Evil One has intended some other purpose for them. Other times, they are used as fuel to strengthen the Evil One or to weaken the chains that bind him." The old man's face grew dark at those words. It was only for a moment and the moment quickly passed. "As for your friends, it would appear that they have still have a role to play in the Evil One's schemes. They are 'alive', but barely. Although, one has to wonder, in the state they are in, would that still be called 'living'?"

"What do you mean?"

"When darkness consumes you, as you may know, your life is slowly being drained away. Slowly, your memories, your desires, your hopes—everything about you—is being slowly, but surely, taken away until you are nothing more but a shell of your former self. The longer Takuya and the others are taken captive by the darkness, the more they lose a part of themselves until there is nothing left. Unless you and Katsuya can rescue them, unless they are freed, I am afraid that their fate would be worst than death."

Silence filled the room as the old man allowed Kouichi to sit down as he began tending with another batch of crystalized flowers. The old man knew what the young man was thinking, and he let him contemplate on that, willing to wait until Kouichi was ready to resume the conversation.

"Is that what Yumi is going through? I mean, Yumi Akibara?" Kouichi's question was barely a whisper but the old man managed to catch it.

"I'm afraid not. What the Evil One intends to do with Yumi is something more...sinister. Though he will not kill her, she is the key to his freedom...a freedom he could only obtain if..." the old man trailed off.

"If?" Kouichi asked, looking up at the old man.

"If the Evil One has completely taken over her."

Kouichi didn't know what to make with that answer. He wanted to ask what the old man meant but he was far too afraid to ask. What he did ask the old man, however, was how much time they got before things turn for the worst.

"Just enough," was the old man's not-so-helpful answer.

_The old man's hiding something. _Kouichi couldn't help but think.

_"Maybe he's trying to protect you from whatever truths he is hiding_—_if there are any,"_ Duskmon communed with him even though Duskmon knew that the old man could hear him. He had a lot of things in mind and forgot about it. He couldn't help thinking, _After all. I am doing the same thing, aren't I?_

The old man looked at Kouichi intently that made sweat buds to dot Kouichi's forehead. He was expecting the old man to chastise him out of the blue but the old man didn't. Instead of chastising him, the old man proceeded to answer Kouichi's other question: Yumi Kanbara's fate.

"She is missing," the old man said, which wasn't what Kouichi had thought he would say.

"M-Missing? What do you mean missing?" Then he remembered what the other Takuya—the one from the future—had told him before.

"When Chronosmon was defeated and the world of the future and the present were placed in order, Yumi should've ended up with her family, here in the Dead Sea of Dreams. However, along the way, Katsuya lost sight of his sister. That was before Yumi Akibara appeared in your world."

"Wait...what?"

"Calm down, child. I am not saying that both Yumis are one and the same people. Believe me, they are not. They may be a part of the same entity, but both of them are completely different people. The appearance of Yumi Akibara really doesn't have anything to do with Yumi Kanbara's disappearance...although it may seem quite a coincidence."

_"Part of the same entity?"_ Duskmon voiced out his question. _"What do you mean, old man?"_

"In order for Yumi Akibara to exist and for both Yumi and Kouichi's wish to be fulfilled, the Evil one took something from Yumi Kanbara to shape her—and the future which Kouichi and Yumi both desired to live in—into existence." A pause from the old man followed by him reciting: "For every action there is a reaction. One cannot gain something without giving something of equal compensation. Having said that, however, I do not believe Yumi's existence had been erased because of the appearance of another Yumi. I believe that she is merely...somewhere else. Perhaps she is in the same predicament her twin brother had been when Katsuya sacrificed himself."

"The same place Katsuya was in...?" Kouichi wanted to know where that was. If there was any chance of meeting Yumi Kanbara once again, he wanted to take it.

But, the old man merely smiled at him sadly and didn't give him the name of the place he believed Yumi to be in.

* * *

><p>The old man sighed as Kouichi had finally left, his curiosity sated...for the moment.<p>

He had thought that the boy would pester him with more questions, would demand of him answers—answers that he couldn't give. It was not up to Kouichi, after all, what becomes of Yumi Kanbara.

_Her fate is for her's to choose._ He looked up at the floating orb, curious as to how the girl in question was doing. _ All of their fates are tied to yours, Yumi Kanbara. Now...will you be able to answer the call?_

He shook his head. He wasn't going to catch a glimpse of her progress. Doing so might endanger her lives. No. It was best her movements remained cloaked and the Valkyries focus on her brother and on Kouichi and Duskmon.

Duskmon. He was another one of the old man's "Wild Cards", but one that even the old man didn't know how to control. He knew that the digimon had talked with one of the Ancient Ten and with Loweemon. He knew that Ancient Sphinxmon had his own plans on how to deal with things. He also knew that whatever it was had a probability of making things worst.

But, despite that knowledge, he also knew he couldn't do anything about it. He wasn't allowed to meddle. What he was already doing—helping Kouichi and Katsuya—was stretching what he can do. He didn't have a hold on Duskmon.

_But, Kouichi does...and Duskmon is also wavering. Still, if he continues down that path, Ancient Sphinxmon will not be happy..._

"What to do?" the old man mused even though he couldn't really do anything but watch.


	17. Darkling

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

I am really sorry that it took almost two weeks before I could update. Believe me, I didn't plan for that to happen since I want to finish this fanfic as much as you guys want to read the end of it. First off, I blame the first week for ending up sick and unable to use the computer as much as I want to (and I did try). The second week's worth of delay, however, had something to do with my book (Winged: The Awakening) finally being made available here in the Philippines (months after it has been made available to the US, EU, and AU). Check it out if you guys have the chance. :)

Anyways, I plan to update twice (or thrice, if I could) this week to make up for that. For now, enjoy this short—but equally important—chapter.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Darkling**

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><p>.::.<p>

And we are here as on a darkling plain,

Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,

Where ignorant armies clash by night.

.::.

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><p>Kouichi didn't know whether he felt sick to his stomach with worry or with fear...maybe it was a full doze of both. But, he didn't really have much choice on the matter. He had vowed to save Yumi, and that was what he was going to do. Even if that meant jumping to a bottomless abyss where his only survival depends on Katsuya's timing and preparation and the summoning of a portal that he didn't even know would bring them to where they wanted to go.<p>

"And what happens if your plan doesn't work?" Duskmon asked, having taken control of Kouichi's body again. "I mean, it's not like we can just stop ourselves from smacking to the ground at an incredible rate."

Katsuya didn't look too sure himself, "I can try using my mom's sword if things don't go as we planned. Hopefully I can summon it and make use it to blow us to safety."

"And if that doesn't work?"

"We can try praying for a miracle."

Suffice to say, Duskmon didn't like Katsuya's plans or the odds of it. He would rather fall in battle than fall to his death.

* * *

><p>She wiped the sweat from her brow, annoyed. Her clothes were dirty, her appearance disheveled.<p>

_How the heck did I end up _here_?_ It was the question she kept on asking herself; a question that remained unanswered no matter how many shadowy foes she vanquished.

Apart from the creatures that tracked her down and attacked her—and the fact that she was lost in a place that was either a part of the Digital World or an entirely different world but still remain unfamiliar to her, and that there weren't any place she could clean herself up—she had no idea where her mother and father had ended up in, as well as the other denizens of the Dead Sea of Dreams.

She wondered if sticking around long enough to give Kouichi a proper good-bye was the root of her problems.

_I hope not, because that would suck._ She thought to herself.

A sad smile slowly crept up her face at the memory of the person she had left behind, it was a memory that she quickly shook away from her mind.

_No need to get caught up in the past. It's better if I just keep on moving forward. I'm sure Kouichi's happy now..._

Though she wished that to be true, the young woman couldn't also help but wish otherwise. She couldn't keep herself from being selfish and from thinking that way as hard as she might try. It wasn't just because she was feeling miserable herself, alone in a place where endless monsters spawn, but also because, as hard as she might try, she can't get over him...even if it was the best thing she could do for both of them.

She couldn't help but continue wondering about the status of Kouichi Kimura's life even when another wave of monsters—some looking like Demi—Devimons, Devimons, Bakemons, Flymons, Lady Devimons, and other Virus—type digimons, others merely shadows—began attacking her again.

* * *

><p>Takuya Kanbara. That name was...familiar.<p>

There was something about the name, the way it rolled in her lips that made her believe it was a name of someone important. But, the memory of the owner of that name eluded her, much like everything else she tried to grasp and remember. Still, Izumi Orimoto couldn't be bothered with trying to remember the face behind the name. She was already running late.

_Why did I even bother thinking about answering that message?_ She wondered to herself. _I'm sure it was just a prank. There's no such thing as 'destiny'._

_If I hadn't entertained that message, I wouldn't be running late now. _ Izumi continued to berate herself. _They may have already left without me. Ooh! I can't believe this!_

Even though she told herself that, Izumi still couldn't resist checking her phone again and rereading the mysterious message that was sent to her:

_Are you ready to shape your destiny?_

There was no information on the sender, not a name or a number. The space where the sender's name was supposed to be only displayed strange symbols that seemed familiar but, at the same time, alien to her.

She was about to delete the message when another message arrived coming from the same—at least, that's what she guessed considering the same strange symbols that appeared on the sender's information.

Izumi's was hesitant. She didn't want to open the message. She feared that it had some sort of virus. But, it was like her mind was telling her not to but her body was telling her something else entirely because, before she knew it, her thumb had pressed the button that opened the message.

_Remember &ad*3+ #...Wind &^21sd&ad, Izumi._

_Don't ( *^0adef#, illusion...H! `923_92=3_.

_Remember what? _Izumi frowned. She couldn't understand what the garbled message was. _And, how does the sender know my name? I don't get it._

Pocketing her phone, Izumi continued hurriedly to her destination, all the while thinking about the message. She still believed it was a prank but she couldn't understand who would want to set an ellaborate prank like that.

There were also those strange symbols. As far as she knows—and she would like to think that she knows a lot—those where not alphabets of any language. Not English, not Chinese, Korean. It's not even Egyptian, Roman, Russian, or Greek!

But, above all, it surprised her how one word—the word "Wind"—could catch her attention so easily.

_Just what is going on with me?_

* * *

><p>"Don't you dare touch that cake," Yuriko Kanbara told her oldest son, giving him "the look" to make her message even clearer that, if he <em>does <em>touch it, he was going to get in a lot of trouble. "We have to wait for your father."

"Yeah, yeah," Takuya sighed, his chin on his head. He was bored _and _he was hungry. It wasn't a great combination. "What's taking dad and Shinya long?"

"Be patient." That was all Yuriko was willing to say on the matter as she went back preparing their feast.

Patience. It was a concept that Takuya found hard to grasp, especially now, even though he had no idea why he was feeling so...what was the word? Fidgety? Anxious? On edge? He felt as though he was all of those things, maybe more.

Takuya had a feeling that he was forgetting something important and he had that itching sensation that something wasn't right, he just couldn't put a finger on it.

"Instead of sulking, why don't you help me out, Takuya?" his mother called from the kitchen.

"With what? I don't know how to cook," was his reply.

Yuriko entered the dining room, mixing the contents of the bowl in her hand, as she answered her son's question, "I forgot to buy a couple of things. Would you mind getting them?"

Takuya shrugged. He was willing to do _anything_ just to dispel the boredom. He didn't know how long his father and brother would be out and he didn't want to be the only one _not _doing anything.

After obtaining the list from his mother, Takuya took his jacket and began to walk his way to the grocery store when his phone started ringing.

Taking his phone out, Takuya stared at the screen and the Caller ID. He didn't know what to make of it. The caller's name was displayed in strange symbols—symbols he hadn't seen in his life. Briefly, he wondered if his phone was acting up, before he decided to answer the call thinking that it was important.

"Takuya?" the voice on the other end asked, as if not certain.

"Yeah, this is Takuya. Uh, my phone's Caller ID seems to be acting up, who's this?"

Instead of answering his question, he was met with the caller's message that was lost in static. Takuya looked at his phone, his frown deepening before he placed it back to his ear.

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" He said, his jog had subsided into a slow walk.

Whether the caller heard him or not, Takuya wasn't certain. Whoever it was just went on talking, most of what he (or she, it was hard to tell) was saying was lost in static although Takuya could catch a few words here in there.

Seeing as there was no way of communicating properly, and that it was pointless trying to hold on to that call, Takuya apologized before ending it and placing his phone back in his pocket.

"What was that about?" He wondered aloud as he began jogging to the grocery store once again. "I wonder who that was...and what's the whole deal about waking up? I'm already awake."

In the end, Takuya just chucked the phone call as a prank.

_Shinya's probably the one behind it. Idiot._

* * *

><p>How they had managed to land in the very place they intended to go, without any problems, Katsuya didn't know. He was sure that something was going to go wrong the moment he and Duksmon both agreed to jump and when he was summoning the portal.<p>

As it turned out, nothing happened. Apart from that which he _hoped_ would happen: the portal to the Evil One's domain opening. To say that he was relieved that they didn't die because of him was an understatement. Of course, he couldn't really feel relieved now that they were in the enemy's land.

_This is where things get dangerous and hard._ He thought to himself.

"Now what?" Duskmon asked as soon as he was standing upright again, dusting himself. "I don't suppose you intend for us to stick around here long..."

"Of course not," Katsuya scoffed. "We have to hurry up and find the Place of Limbo. I think that's where they are keeping Yumi and the others. I could be wrong, but it's our best bet."

_"And, what are we supposed to do if the Valkyries and the Evil One notices our presence?"_ Kouichi asked Duskmon, hoping that the digimon would relay his question to Katsuya.

Duskmon did just that, curious as to what the young Kanbara had planned for such an occasion.

In reply, Katsuya spoke as though it was the most obvious thing in the world to do and he couldn't believe Duskmon was even asking it, saying, "We run. Of course. Get away from this place as fast as possible. Our mission is not to fight the Valkyries. Not yet, anyway."

"That...I wasn't expecting that." Duskmon admitted. He had thought the human had cooked up a scheme or a way to defeat the bothersome group. "Running isn't really my style if I can help it."

"Well, we can't help it. As we are now, with Kouichi unable to do squat, we can't really face up to them without being annihilated ourselves and, well, we can't let that happen."

"True." Duskmon conceded, which made Kouichi give him a mental shout (_Hey! No need to agree with him about me being useless!_). "So, why don't we get this show on the road?"

"Right," Katsuya nodded, but before he could so much as take one step forward, pain suddenly shot at him, making him fall to the ground, panting.

"Katsuya?" Duskmon turned around, wondering what was happening. When he saw Katsuya in pain, he quickly moved to his side, "Hey, what's gotten into you?"

"Something...something must be happening with...my mom and dad..." Katsuya panted. He balled his fist as beads of sweat started appearing on his brow. "D-Damn it! This shouldn't be happening...Whatever...whatever the Evil One's doing to the present time Takuya and Izumi...it shouldn't have any effects on me..."

"Is there anything I can do?" He can't afford to lose Katsuya.

"Just...give me a second." Katsuya replied, even though it looked like whatever he was feeling wasn't going to go away anytime soon. "It's going to disappear after a while...just like...just like before..._argh!_"

_"Is he sure about that?"_ Kouichi asked, he couldn't help but feel worried. Katsuya might not want to become friends with him again but he still considers him as one.

_"Whether he is certain about that or not, he doesn't really have much of a choice,"_ Duskmon told Kouichi. _"Hell, even _we _don't have a choice but wait it out."_

_"Out here? In the open? Where the Valkyries can see us? You've got to be kidding..."_

_"No. I'm not. Like I've said, we _don't _have a choice."_

* * *

><p>Yumi Kanbara fell to the ground, her head felt like it was going to be split open and her brain would turn into mush. The headache that suddenly came at her was <em>that<em> painful. What's more, she was starting to turn intangible—well, if the fact that her body was becoming a bit transparent was any indication of it.

"W-What the heck?" It was all she could ask.

She knew she was in a bad position, she couldn't defend herself if someone suddenly jumped at her. She didn't know what she was supposed to do, which made her hate her predicament even more.

_Why am I starting to disappear?_ The question came, followed by a torrent of others. _What's going on? What's happening? Does it have something to do with mom and dad? But..._

What other thoughts may have crossed her mind, she couldn't remember as the pain intensified and all she could think about was getting through the pain.

* * *

><p>"It didn't work," Kazemon sounded deflated, her fairy wings flapping just enough to keep her elevated.<p>

"Well, I wasn't expecting it to be easy," Agunimon confessed with a sigh. "Still, we did manage to find out something useful."

"And that is?" Kazemon asked.

"That we can communicate with them, to some extent." Agunimon replied. "What the others are doing is a bit dangerous, our method may be troublesome but it's one that I think is better than preying on the emotions of our partners."

Kazemon was silent for a moment. She couldn't help but think of how lucky both Agunimon and her were for having found each other. She had thought that, when the forces of darkness took hold of them while they were in that gathering with Duskmon, that every one of them was going to be separated. Imagine her surprise when she woke up and saw Agunimon with her.

_I hope the others are doing well._ She thought to herself. She already knew that they were okay, after all, she and Agunimon sensed that they were each trying to help their respective partners.

"What's wrong?" Agunimon surprised her by asking.

"Huh? What?"

He gave her a small smile and pointed at the ground that her feet were touching. "You stopped fluttering your wings."

"Oh!" Kazemon hadn't noticed.

"So, what's eating you up? Apart from the obvious, I mean." Agunimon asked, which surprised Kazemon a bit and made her giggle. Which, in turn, caught Agunimon off—guard. "What's up with you? Why are you laughing now?"

"I'm sorry, it's just that...you've changed. A lot. I just haven't really noticed it before since, well, we were always tied with our human partners." Smiling, Kazemon replied, once again lifting herself off the ground in flight.

"What does that suppose to mean, Kazemon?"

"Don't you remember how you were like before you met Takuya Kanbara?" There was a teasing lilt in Kazemon's voice that made Agunimon think that wherever the Spirit of Wind was going with her question, it was not going to bode well with him.

_Why did she have to retain a bit of Izumi Orimoto's persona in her?_ He silently wondered, remembering Kazemon as she was before when she was more reserved and shy, not one to quickly tease anyone else. _Although...there was that temper of hers._

A frown, however, was all Agunimon was willing to give in reply to Kazemon's question.

Undeterred by the look that the Spirit of Fire was giving her, Kazemon expounded on her earlier statement. "You were grumpier and you always love to boss the others around. That's why Calamarimon hated you and why she loves to make things harder for you. You were never one to check up on others, too."

"I wasn't..."

But, Kazemon wasn't going to let him finish what he was about to say as she was quickly in front of him, "Oh, yes you were. And that rivalry between you and Lobomon? You have no idea how that drove everyone even crazier. You frightened a lot of digimons. That was the whole reason they called labeled you a 'demon'."

Agunimon was seldom made speechless but the words that tumbled out of Kazemon's mouth made him so. He quickly backed away, shaking his head and wondering if whatever the fairy digimon had said held any truth in them.

"But now, you're not as fearsome as you were." Kazemon wasn't done with her spiel. "And, well, I like this version of you better. We all do. I have to remember to thank Takuya for that."

"W-W-What?" Agunimon accidentally shot a couple of fires out of his armor, almost hitting Kazemon in the process.

"Hey! Watch it!"

"You watch it! Don't go saying stuff like that!" Huffed Agunimon, obviously flustered. "If Duskmon or Kumamon were around, they would never let me live that down! Besides, enough with that talk, we have something more important to deal with. If we don't hurry and reconnect with Takuya and Izumi, we might lose them for good."


	18. In Passing

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

Mother of Batman! I almost forgot to upload this chapter. Ahaha, it's been another busy week for me as I am still going around promoting my book and, at the same time, working on the final drafts of the second book and beginning research for the third one. Busy, busy...I am dizzy. Anyways, I'm glad someone reminded me about my promise to upload another chapter for this week.

I'm not sure how y'all are gonna react to this chapter but, yeah...it has to happen. I'll try to update again before this week end (I'm not a hundred-percent sure of it yet since I might go on a trip this coming weekend).

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy reading and...**don't forget to review**! :D

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Seventeen**

**In Passing**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing,_

_Only a signal shown and a distant voice in the darkness;_

_So on the ocean of life, we pass and speak one another,_

_Only a look and a voice, then darkness again and a silence._

.::.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure it's okay for you to be walking?" Duskmon asked once more, just to be sure. He didn't want to have to carry the kid around if he could help it. And he sure as hell didn't want Katsuya to suddenly keel over. A lot of people would have his head for that.<p>

"Quit asking me that. I'm managing, aren't I?" Katsuya replied, not bothering to hide how frustrated he was. "Besides, we can't afford to waste any more time. I'm not going to be the reason why we failed in this mission."

"Do you really believe that your parents have nothing to do with what just happened?" Duskmon wasn't going to drop the subject. "Could something have happened to them? Could that be the reason why you almost—"

Katsuya didn't want to think about it. He didn't even want to talk about it. But he knew Duskmon wasn't going to give it a rest, not until he gets some for of explanation at least.

"I don't know," he cut Duskmon off, which earned him a sharp glare from the crimson-eyed digimon. "I...don't think so. At least, it's not supposed to happen any more. My mom and dad—the Takuya and Izumi that are my parents—they're _here_, in the Dead Sea of Dreams. _I'm _in the Dead Sea of Dreams. Whatever happens to them should no longer be connected to me. But...that feeling, and the vanishing act? That's the same feeling I get whenever something happens to them—something that endangers _our _future."

_"If the Takuya and Izumi of the future are here, then what about the Takuya and Izumi from our time?"_ Kouji asked and Duskmon relayed the question to Katsuya.

"What about them?" Katsuya frowned, not entirely sure why Kouji would bring those two up.

_"What if something's happening to them? Shouldn't that affect you too?"_ Kouji expounded on his question. He remembered something similar happening before, after all.

"In the past, maybe. But things are different now. They _should_ be different now."

"How so?" It was Duskmon's turn to ask his question. He didn't really see anything different about the whole thing. Well, nothing different when it comes to the whole time-thing.

"The Takuya and Izumi of this time are no longer connected to me. After what happened with Chronosmon, whatever happened to them no longer has a power to affect my future. At least, that's what the old man told my dad before and what he told me."

"This time-thing's pretty rough on the brain, isn't it?" Duskmon sighed. He really couldn't understand what was going on. Somehow, he doubted what the old man had said and he believed that Katsuya Kanbara was not divulging other important details.

_If the kid doesn't want to talk about it yet, then fine. I will find out the whole truth sooner or later._

* * *

><p>The old man could feel something changing in the air. Although he enjoyed a change or two, this particular one bothered him.<p>

He knew what that feeling meant. It meant that their enemy was beginning to change the rules of the game. Even though he could change it back, fix things by himself, he couldn't risk it. The amount of power, the amount of energy needed for him to do so was staggering and could cause catastrophic consequences to the Dead Sea of Dreams. He couldn't risk the destruction of his realm—his domain. Not when its destruction would cause a powerful ripple throughout time and space.

He really could do nothing to stop the what the Evil One was doing except to pin all his hopes on the shoulders of three—no, four—individuals.

_It's all in their hands now..._

* * *

><p>Yumi couldn't help but give a sigh of relief as she found a hallowed out tree that she figured she could use to rest in while there was a lull in the attacks. She was also quite relieved that she was feeling alright as well, all of her limbs were intact, her head didn't feel like a jackhammer was pounding on it, and she had stopped looking like a transparent ghost or an apparition.<p>

She couldn't help but feel worried.

_What's going on? Why did that happen?_ She wondered as she settled in inside the tree. _The only time that something like that happens is if mom and dad's future are in jeopardy. But, after we defeated Chronosmon, that shouldn't be the case...Is there something going on with Takuya and Izumi?_

She hoped not. She still wanted to be born, after all. She still wanted to exist in the future that would be created now that there was a brand new future where everyone was alive and doing well. She wanted to see what that future was like even though the Yumi Kanbara that would be born wouldn't really be her. It would be a different Yumi Kanbara.

* * *

><p>"Well, this is new," Duskmon said when the world around them suddenly shifted from bleak darkness to a cavern. "You don't think they've already found us out and are setting up a trap for us, do you?"<p>

"Maybe, but either way, we don't have a choice but to move forward." Katsuya replied.

"That's true but..." Duskmon trailed off. He shook his head, followed by, "Well, whatever. It's more interesting this way, I guess."

Katsuya shrugged and the two began to walk deeper in the cavern.

It was quiet. The only sounds they could hear were the sound of their feet hitting the earth and the distant sound of water dripping. For a cavern, it wasn't very dark as well. Even Katsuya, who didn't have the capability to see vividly in the dark, could make his way around the cavern without any problems.

From time to time, they would come across intersecting pathways. Duskmon let Katsuya choose which way they were going. After all, he seemed to know his way around and, despite what he says, the place they were in was _still _a part of the Dead Sea of Dreams even though they were in a "no man's land".

They went on walking, deeper and deeper, farther and farther from where they landed, not really knowing if they were heading in the right direction. Neither Duskmon nor Katsuya also spoke with each other after their earlier exchange, both of them were more focused on the task at hand and the possibility of an ambush to care about what Duskmon believe was "idle chatter".

As they journeyed onwards, Duskmon couldn't help but feel that something wasn't right. That feeling that he was having was easily sensed by Kouichi.

_"The Valkyries?"_ Kouichi asked, his mind immediately going to the first worst scenario his mind managed to make up for him.

_"No. It's not them. It's this place...it reminds me of...somewhere."_ Duskmon was having a hard time piecing his words together. His subconscious thoughts regarding the place they were traversing was so strong that it was making it hard for him to think of anything but the familiarity he felt.

_"The place?"_ Kouichi didn't understand what Duskmon meant until he paid more attention to their surroundings. It was then that Kouichi felt a sense of déjà vu. _"Now that you mention it..."_

"That's strange..." Katsuya broke the silence that had settled between him and his companion.

His words, of course, caused Duskmon and Kouichi to turn their attention at him.

"What?" Duskmon asked. He did not like the way Katsuya had said those words.

"We've been following the train tracks for a while now but it seems like we're not really going anywhere."

"Train tracks? What are you talking about?" Duskmon couldn't help but think if Katsuya was trying to confuse him. "We're in a cave, an underground tunnel, there aren't any train tracks here. Heck, there aren't any kind of tracks except for the one we're making."

"Well, yeah...we're underground but this isn't of a cave, Duskmon. This is an underground railroad of some kind." Katsuya frowned at his companion as he spoke. He couldn't understand how Duksmon could think that they were inside an underground cave.

"I think you're still under some kind of illusion or something, Katsuya, because there's no way that this is some part of a railroad." There was laughter in his voice, though he didn't mean to sound as though he was mocking the kid. "Maybe we should take a rest."

"I am not hallucinating!" Katsuya didn't bother to lower his voice. Pointing at what Duskmon could see was a jutting rock, Katsuya added, "Can't you see that? It says Asakusa."

"That's a rock." Duskmon said, deadpanned. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"A rock?" Katsuya wore the same deadpanned expression that was on Duskmon's face. It was only for a moment before a contemplative one replaced it. "What about that?"

Katsuya then pointed on what Duskmon saw was a piece of dried vine dangling on the wall. He told Katsuya what it was that he saw, instead of stopping at that, Katsuya kept on pointing at various things in the underground tunnel, asking Duskmon what it was that _he _saw.

They kept playing that "game" (which is what Duskmon thought it was), until the contemplative look on Katsuya's face turned into one that spoke that he was cooking up some form of explanation.

"A space distortion," Katsuya blurted out. "That's what I think we're experiencing. We're both seeing things differently."

"Are you sure you're not just hallucinating?" Duskmon wouldn't drop it. For him, it would be so much simpler if that was the case.

Katsuya glared daggers at him. "No. And I'm not going crazy either. Besides, in my perspective, _you _are the one who seems to be hallucinating."

Duskmon was about to argue with him further but decided to stop and think about it. Somehow, he didn't think that they were being tricked. He didn't think that they were hallucinating either. No matter how powerful their enemy might be, Duskmon figured that it would be hard to fool him and Kouichi who were both sharing one body but having two separate consciousness and Katsuya who had both a strong will and a strong mind.

When he thought about what Katsuya had said, however—about being separated by a space distortion—he couldn't help but think that it really could be a viable explanation. Thanks to that, he decided to give Katsuya the benefit of the doubt.

"Okay," Duskmon sighed. "Let's say that this is some sort of distortion. Is that a bad thing or a good thing? Should we be worried?"

"Not really," Katsuya admitted, though he was still frowning as he spoke. "This is just a distortion. We are still at the same place as we were minutes, maybe hours ago and we aren't really separated by anything. We're just viewing something differently. The only thing we have to be mindful of, if we're not careful, is being separated."

"What if we're attacked under this circumstance?"

"Then we either fight back or fall back. But, if we decide to make a run for it, we have to make sure we don't go our separate ways." was Katsuya's reply.

Duskmon nodded. He didn't have anything against such a plan. He knew what a pain in the ass it would be if they ever do get separated while they were both at the mercy of a space distortion—one that he didn't know how long would last, and neither did Katsuya who said just as much seconds later.

* * *

><p>They were still caught in the distortion in what seemed like several hours later. Everything seemed calm despite the eerie feeling Kouichi could feel through Duskmon. He didn't know why it was but he felt anxious about something—like he was expecting something to happen.<p>

_Heh, who knew that I'd end up agreeing with what Junpei said before?_ Kouichi thought to himself, amused that, in the end, he did feel the same way that Junpei felt when it comes to dealing with the digital world and in saving the world—that nothing goes the way they planned it.

Whether Duskmon was listening in to his thoughts or not, however, Kouichi didn't know. He didn't know if the said Digimon was merely being quiet because the distortion unnerved him so much (even though Duskmon would die than admit something like that) or not, Kouichi was also left to interpret that on his own. Still, he was grateful that Duskmon wasn't in the mood for making fun of him.

Kouichi's train of thoughts, however, was suddenly shattered when Duskmon's control on his body suddenly disappeared and Kouichi found himself, once again, the master of his own body. The transition surprised Kouichi so much that he lost his balance and tripped.

Landing with a thud, Kouichi couldn't stop the moan that escaped from his mouth, followed by a string of cuss words as he pushed himself right back up to his feet, all the while wondering what had gotten into Duskmon to just do something like that.

"Hey, what was _that_ about, Duskmon?" Kouichi shouted his question out, even though he really didn't need to.

Duskmon, however, didn't answer. Just when Kouichi thought that the Digimon was merely ignoring him, he realized that Katsuya hadn't said anything in a while as well.

Looking around and wondering why he wasn't saying anything, Kouichi realized that Katsuya was gone and that the path he and Duskmon had been taking had changed. Although they were still inside an underground tunnel, the way that they had came from has now been sealed shut. Not only was there not a path but one that led forward, the way back had turned into a solid wall.

"What the heck...?" Kouichi couldn't keep himself from blurting out as worry began to fill his mind. "How did—? Did we just get separated from Katsuya? Now look what you did, Duskmon!"

He had hoped that Duskmon would answer him, but the silence that followed and no matter how patient Kouji was at waiting for Duskmon to give him som explanation, Kouichi soon realized that, not only had he been separated from Katsuya, Duskmon was also gone.

"What's going on?" For the first time, Kouichi was worried. He had no idea how he was going to defend himself should he be attacked. After all, Kouichi had every reason to believe that their enemies had planned everything and that he would soon be facing a life-threatening situation.

Just as that thought escaped his mind, he felt a presence indicating that he was no longer alone. When he whirled around, however, what he saw was not something he had expected. Not in a million years.

Standing behind him, with her back towards him and her head moving like she was searching for something, was the familiar figure of Yumi.

"Y-Yumi?" Kouichi's voice carried uncertainty with it. There was something about Yumi that made him cautious—something _different_.

Yumi didn't seem to hear him. She didn't seem to notice that he was there, effectively ignoring him and whatever else Kouichi might have said. Though he was hesitant, Kouichi decided to walk closer towards her. Just when he was just a couple of steps away, Yumi's demeanor suddenly changed and, out of nowhere, a sword—one that Kouichi hadn't seen in a _long_ time—materialized in her hand and her posture transformed to one that was battle-ready.

_It...can't be..._ Kouichi's heart skipped a beat, realizing why he thought there was something different about her.

It wasn't Yumi Akibara he was seeing...it was Yumi _Kanbara_.


	19. Invisible Walls

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

It's been a while, everyone! I hope you guys had an amazing Holiday season! I've been pretty busy with my book (which I hope you guys would take time to buy a copy of and read :)) that I got delayed over and over again with this fanfic (and a bunch of other fanfics I currently have that are on hiatus).

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. :)

**EDIT**: Re-uploaded the chapter since FFN messed up the hyphens.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Eighteen**

**The Invisible Walls**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_Like driftwood spars which meet and pass_

_Upon the boundless ocean-plain,_

_So on the sea of life, alas!_

_Man nears man, meets, and leaves again._

.::.

* * *

><p>Kouichi was rooted at the spot. He didn't know what he was supposed to do or what to say. He wanted badly to run towards her but the Gale Sword in her hands told him that it was a bad idea. He might just surprise her enough that she would end up accidentally decapitating him.<p>

"Yumi..." her name came out as a breathy whisper from his lips as soon as he has gotten his wits about. He couldn't believe that she was standing before him, that he could see her...even though _she_ couldn't see _him_.

All Kouichi could do was stare at her, watch her. He became certain that she wasn't really there when he saw her mouth move, seemingly shouting at someone—or something—and he was unable to hear anything. He wondered if what he was seeing was something that had happened in the past. Whether it was the past (or, in his case, the future) just before he met her or if it was from after Yumi got separated from the others right after they bid farewell to each other, Kouichi didn't know and didn't think he would have a chance of knowing.

Seeing her, being close to her yet, at the same time, being worlds apart, sent a pang of sadness at the young Bearer of the Spirit of Darkness. He had thought that he was over her, but it was not the case. Regardless if he had a Yumi that he _could_ be with, he realized that, no matter what happens, a part of him will always yearn for the other Yumi.

* * *

><p>Katsuya didn't bother to hide how annoyed he was at the moment, not that anyone would care. No one was around but him, after all.<p>

He didn't know what had happened. One moment he was with Duskmon and then the next he was alone. Of course, he hadn't realized that he was until he tried calling for Duskmon. He had merely thought that the disturbance had created an imaginary wall between him and his companion to make him think that they had been separated. That wasn't the case, though. They really _had _been separated.

"Idiot," he chastised himself. He couldn't believe he had just allowed for something like that to happen. With both of them separated, they were just _asking _for trouble. "I should've known something like this would happen. I should've been more careful..."

He was still berating himself when, upon taking a couple more steps, the scenery around him suddenly transformed as if everything was being flipped over until he found himself in an eerie castle corridor.

"What the—! Where am I now?" His surrounding was new to him. He didn't know where he was. One thing was sure, though, he was no longer in a train station.

The sudden transformation made him all the more wary, caused him to call forth his father's sword before tentatively walking forward. Every fiber of his being was on alert, ready for anything.

* * *

><p>He was having a massive headache that no amount of ibuprofen seem to be able to cure and he didn't even know what caused it. Groaning, Takuya wondered if he was suddenly being struck down by karma. Nothing seemed to be going the way he wanted them ever since he received those strange text messages.<p>

"As if that has anything to do with it," Takuya snorted to himself as he forced himself to move despite the headache. "Did I insult any shrine maidens? Maybe I've angered a deity or something."

Takuya humored himself some more, having nothing else to do but wait for the pain to subside. A couple of minutes later, the pain subsided momentarily, allowing Takuya a moment's reprieve. He couldn't help but sigh, although he did think twice about sitting upright. He didn't want to cause the pain to return or to throw up all over his bed.

When he was certain that he wasn't going to puke and that the headache was really gone and wasn't simply trying to catch him unawares, Takuya slowly pushed himself up.

"What was that all about?" he wondered aloud, wiping the sweat that had formed in his brow with the back of his hand. His shirt had been soaked with it as well that he ended standing up, walking towards his dresser, and proceeded to change his clothes.

Just as he was pulling the dry shirt over his head, an image flashed in his mind in a way that elicited a quick jolt of pain for the young Kanbara and he ended up falling to the ground, one of his knees banging on the floor.

"Crap!" he couldn't help hissing in pain at his banged-up-knee, the shirt dangling around his neck. "What the hell?"

Limping to take a seat at his bed, Takuya went on cursing. Once he had managed to sit and calm himself down, he began to think back on the image he saw, furrowing his brow as he tried to think.

_That girl..._ he thought to himself. _She looked familiar. Have I seen her somewhere before?_

But, try as he might—and the longer he dwelled on the thought—the memory and the image of the blond-haired girl that flashed in his mind began to quickly slip away. Before long, Takuya forgot about the reason why his knee was hurting and the familiar girl.

* * *

><p>"Izumi, dear, is there something wrong?" her mother asked, snapping her from her daydream.<p>

All Izumi could say in reply was, "Huh?" which made her mother all the more worried.

"You're acting strange. Did something happen?" there was nothing to mask the worry in Mrs. Orimoto's face and on the tone of her voice. "Did you fight with one of your friends?"

"What?" Izumi blinked, "Oh, no. It's nothing like that, mom. There's nothing wrong."

Mrs. Orimoto starred at her daughter. She knew her well enough that it wasn't "nothing" and that something was bugging her. It wasn't hard to notice Izumi spacing out more than usual as well.

Her mother looked at her for a moment and Izumi could tell she was debating on whether to press on the matter further or let it be. She hoped that her mother would drop it. After all, she didn't know how to explain what she was feeling to her.

Sighing, Mrs. Orimoto, looked away and continued reading the menu of the café she and had daughter had decided to eat in.

"Well, you know you can always talk to me about...things, right?"

Izumi nodded and tried her best to give an assuring smile to her mother. She might have succeeded, if the smile that her mother returned were any indication of it.

Once she was certain that her mother was busy deciding what food to order for the both of them, Izumi returned to her musings as she tried to pinpoint what was the cause of the nagging feeling that she had been having. It was a feeling that was starting to annoy the life out of her but, at the same time, one that she believes—firmly—she couldn't ignore.

* * *

><p>Kouichi wanted to run. He wanted to follow where Yumi had ran off to. But he couldn't. He couldn't stray from the path that he was on for fear of being eaten up by the shifting reality and end up even more lost than he already was. It pained him to be separated with Yumi again, even though they didn't exactly reunite.<p>

Still, standing there, once again, alone made Kouichi wonder what it was he was supposed to do in order to find his way back to Katsuya again and in order to communicate with Duskmon who was still missing in action—and was absent from his psyche.

"Just where the hell are you, Duskmon?" He couldn't help muttering again. His frustration building. After all, he wouldn't be afraid of walking off of the path if Duskmon was with him. "You really picked one hell of a time for a coffee break."

As he was thinking that, the whole place started to shift and transform once again. This time, Kouichi was transported into a world filled with infinite darkness and shadows.

"W-What the—!" Before he could even finish that train of thought, a voice—a familiar voice—spoke.

"It's been a while, human child." The familiar voice echoed around him and sent shivers down his spine. It made Kouichi even more afraid. After all, he knew, full well, the person behind the voice.

"No," gasped Kouichi. "It can't be..."

"Oh, but it is." The voice laughed, enjoying the emotion that was pouring out of Kouichi.

* * *

><p>"Yumi!" Katsuya shouted as he saw the girl standing before him, in the middle of the hallway, unguarded.<p>

He was surprised to see her, to say the least, especially with no one around to keep her from escaping. For a moment, Katsuya wondered if the girl in question managed to escape by herself—if, by some inexplicable force of luck, she had outwitted the enemy or had managed to tap into some of the things his sister—the other Yumi—knew.

Regardless of how she managed to do it, Katsuya was glad that she did. Grinning from ear-to-ear and forgetting the sense of dread that he had felt mere moments before, Katsuya ran towards Yumi. He didn't care if she wasn't his sister, all he cared about was that the girl was safe and they didn't need to search high and low for her anymore.

As he ran closer and closer towards her, Katsuya began to notice something...odd about Yumi. For one, she wasn't moving, not showing any signs that she heard him. Instead, she remained stationary; unmoving, like a statue.

When she was in-front of him, he noticed, for the first time, her eyes. They were dull in color, almost as if she wasn't really seeing anything. Her expression was equally baffling—never changing, merely stoic.

"Yumi?" the excitement he had earlier felt dissipated. It was replaced by one of worry and apprehension. "Hey, are you alright?"

He was expecting her to talk to him, ask him who he was, where she was, and what was going on. Instead, Yumi kept on gazing blankly. Even when he had thought it was best to shake her out of her stuppor, she remained unresponsive; almost zombie-like.

"What the heck is wrong with you?" Katsuya breathed the question out. The pit of his stomach grew, threatening to consume him.

He was still looking at her with a worried expression on his face and his hands on her shoulder when she moved for the first time. What she did, however, was not something Katsuya expected.

With such speed he never thought he would witness, Yumi suddenly slapped his hands away and blasted Katsuya back with an attack in the form of a dark, swirling energy.

The attack hit him square on and pushed him back so far that his back hit at the wall on the farthest side of the hallway. Crumpling down, Katsuya couldn't keep himself from coughing up blood and groaning in pain. He _did not_ see that coming.

* * *

><p>Takuya breathed in the fresh air.<p>

_I think...this is _exactly_ what I need._ He thought to himself as he pushed his arms up and stretched. _That headache might've been because_ _I had been cooped up in the house for so long._

He didn't have anywhere in particular to go to, being outside, walking around—it was something he _felt _like he should do. No, it was more than that. It was as if someone was whispering at him, nagging him, to get out of the house and walk around.

So, he just let his feet lead. Not thinking where he was going, but admiring the things for sale displayed behind the shop windows, passing through families eating inside restaurants and cafes, distracting himself with all sorts of things he could think of as well as playing in the arcade.

As he was walking along, he passed by another café whose doors suddenly burst open and he heard a familiar voice—one he was certain he had heard so many times before. But, just like how things usually were for him for a while now, the voice also felt alien to him. He didn't know how that could be possible.

Just as he was thinking that, a girl with hair the color of sunshine and piercing, green eyes. She was wearing a white dress that made her look like an ethereal beauty that left his mouth agape as she passed by along with an older woman whom he guessed was her mother.

As she passed him by, her shoulder snagged his and the two of them bumped each other and she accidentally dropped her phone on the concrete ground.

He apologized just as she did and bent down to pick the phone and hand it over to her. When their fingers touched, both teens couldn't help but look at each other.

The girl gasped, surprising both Takuya and the girl's mother. He could see in her eyes a look of recognition. It was strange. He somehow recognized her as well but, at the same time, she was a stranger to him.

"You're..." he heard her mutter just before her mother asked if there was anything wrong. The girl shook her head before turning her attention back at him, taking the phone, and, instead of continuing off where she had left of and telling him what it was that surprised her about him, the girl just smiled and thanked him. Her smile lit up her whole face and made her even more beautiful that Takuya couldn't help but blush.

Even though Takuya wanted to talk to her, ask her questions, and generally just get to know her better, all he could do was watch her walk away and hope that he would get another chance to encounter the blond-haired girl.


	20. The Corrupted

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

So, another update. This one's much longer than my previous updates and a lot more "packed". I'm not nitpicking or anything, but I've got to say that it's quite surprising how different the amount of reviews and views I got from the previous two CoTs compared to this one. Haha, I suppose it has something to do with the lack of Takumi or something like that.

Anyways, I have to express my gratitude to those who continue to read and review this fanfic. Thank you! I hope y'all enjoy this chapter. Next update will, probably, be on Friday or Saturday. :)

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Nineteen**

**The Corrupted**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_Nos amis, les ennemis._

.::.

* * *

><p>His breathing was labored, his footing unsteady. He didn't want to fight but with each passing moment, each attack that was doled out at him, Katsuya Kanbara was running out of options.<p>

Katusya couldn't help but feel bitter about the turn of events. He was certain that Kouichi was having an easier time than he was. Even though he was placed at such a predicament where he was pitted against the "other half" of his sister, and even though he was feeling bitter about the whole thing, Katsuya knew that—looking at the bigger picture—they were lucky he was the one who met Yumi.

_I'm pretty sure Kouichi would just stand around like an idiot and do nothing._ He thought to himself as he did his best to evade another barrage of vicious attacks from Yumi. _He'd be too stunned to do anything._

Still, he couldn't say that he was focused enough for the battle at hand. Even he was having a hard time piecing it all together.

_Why is she attacking me and how can she wield such power?_

The questions and the unsolved mystery that surrounded Yumi fueled Katsuya to fight her and do her best to outsmart and outmaneuver her. He knew he couldn't lose the battle, not if he plans to save Yumi and bring her back to the old man.

* * *

><p>Kouichi grabbed his head with both of his hands, his palm resting on his ears as he tried to block the sound out.<p>

_This has to be a nightmare._ He kept repeating to himself. _ Some sort of trick by the enemy to confuse us and make us unable to do anything. After all, there's no way he's back._

"Don't delude yourself into thinking that you're safe, human child." The voice taunting him and laughing at his expense went on. "Haven't you wondered why Duskmon's not around?"

Kouichi perched himself upright, looking around. He knew how much trouble he was in. If he wasn't careful, the past would repeat itself—something he believed was what his enemy was after.

"But, you don't need to worry," laughing, the voice went on, "You'll be reunited with Duskmon once more. Just like in the old days."

Still uncertain of what was happening, Kouichi, however, was certain of one thing. He wasn't going to let himself be corrupted by someone as malevolent as Kerpymon. Not again. _Ever._

As scared as he was, the thought of being controlled caused anger to bubble up within him and gave him strength to stand up and face the Digimon who had controlled him and made him a pawn before and was planning on doing so again.

He may not be as strong or powerful as he once was—not without a Digivice and the spirits to aid him—but he wasn't going down without a fight.

* * *

><p>"What's wrong?" Kazemon asked when Agunimon suddenly stopped talking midway. There was a look in her friend's eyes that told her that something was up.<p>

"Duskmon's in trouble. Can't you feel it?" Agunimon replied, not looking at her.

"Huh?" At first Kazemon thought the Digimon Spirit of Fire was pulling her leg. When it became apparent that he wasn't kidding around, she added, "Are you serious?"

Agunimon turned towards her. She knew he was frowning, even though his brow was hidden by the mask.

"Can't you feel it? He's struggling with something...which means...Kouichi is in trouble too."

Kazemon paused for a moment. When she let herself go, she felt the same feeling that Agunimon had, undoubtedly, felt.

"But...this can't be right," Kazemon blurted out. She didn't need to tell Agunimon what she meant. He understood, even without words. "This feeling...it's—"

Agunimon nodded, the look he was giving her turned grimmer. "I don't know how but...Kerpymon's back. What's worse is...he doesn't seem to be the only one of our old foes who's up for a rematch."

"This is bad," Kazemon put it mildly. "We're not ready to deal with this kind of problem. The others, they're—"

Agunimon cut her off before she could continue, "Yeah, which is why we might have to force our way into Takuya and Izumi."

"But, we don't know what that would do. It might cause damage to both of them." Kazemon argued, even when it seemed like it was the only thing they could do.

"Whatever problems that may cause, we have to deal with that afterwards. What's important is that we get them back and get everyone in form. The rest...well, a large chunk of it lies on Kouichi's shoulder. If he can hold out against Kerpymon and his tricks and keep himself and Duskmon from turning back into complete jerks, then we may have a chance."

"Do you thnk Kouichi can do it?"

Agunimon sighed. He _hoped _Kouichi could. The thing was, he wasn't so sure.

* * *

><p>Duskmon couldn't free himself from the shadows that were pinning him down. No matter what he tried or how much fight he put into it, they—the shadows—all seemed indestructible and unmovable.<p>

He didn't understand what was going on, where he was, and what had happened. One second he was walking down the only path given to them, being careful not to trigger any traps as he walked. And then, the next, he was just there...wherever "there" was.

Even though he didn't know what, exactly, was happening, Duskmon knew that with him being there, separated from Kouichi, that whoever the mastermind who orchestrated the whole thing was, wanted one thing: to ensure that Kouichi would be alone and that no one would be able to help him with whatever was going to come his way.

"No way in Hell's Field am I going to let that happen," Duskmon swore to himself as he kept on fighting the binds that chained him. It wasn't just because Kouichi was a means for him to move around and have a body of his own, Duskmon also made a promise to keep the human child safe—especially if he was one of the things that was keeping the world from spiraling down into the apocalypse. "And I'll be damned if I couldn't keep my end of the bargain."

And with that rekindled sense of purpose, mingled with the fear of what was to come should he fail, Duskmon began using all he could, all he knew, in order to free himself before it was too late.

* * *

><p>Kouichi was struggling. He knew that. Kerpymon knew it as well and the evil, corrupted Digimon was throughly entertained by it. The more he watched the human struggling to retain his sanity, his humanity, the more Kerpymon grew excited.<p>

Obtaining Kouichi Kimura was important and Kerpymon was going to deliver the first piece in their much grander plan. A plan that revolved around one thing: revenge. Revenge against the spirits, revenge against the humans, revenge against both the digital and human worlds.

He couldn't wait to see it—the plan that had been set into motion.

_How ironic is it that the very people who had saved the two worlds would be the very same ones who would come to destroy it?_ Kerpymon thought to himself. _ There is no greater betrayal than that...and no hope for anyone to stop it from coming to pass.._

He laughed manically at that. To use the bodies of the Spirit Shinkers to cause chaos to the Digital World—enough to make the Digimons, themselves, raise arms in vengeance against the humans and cause them to attack the human world in retaliation—was just pure genius!

_But...let's not get ahead of ourselves yet._ He told himself as he returned his attention to Bearer of the Spirit of Darkness. _ First thing's first._

* * *

><p>"Damn it!" Katsuya was at a lost on what to do. He had done everything he could think of to bring back some sense into Yumi, but none of them worked.<p>

As much as he could stand up and fight against her, Katsuya didn't want to hurt Yumi. Not too much...not that he could hurt her or do any damage to her. He couldn't. For some reason or another, his attacks doesn't work.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked aloud, not really expecting anyone—not even Yumi—to answer him. After all, she hadn't said a word since their fight began.

The cold eyes that continued to look at him, those eyes that once belonged to his sister, continued to look at him with so much hatred that he didn't have any idea where it came from. He didn't even believe that a person exist who could harbor such intense hatred.

Just when he thought things couldn't get much worse, he heard laughter in the air. A familiar laughter. A laughter that had caused him so many nightmares.

"No...way..." was all he could say, momentarily forgetting about Yumi.

He didn't dare believe it. He didn't think it was possible. The old man, even everyone, had told him that there was no way _he_ would return. He had been sealed, after all.

But, when a dark mist started forming behind Yumi, and when that mist began taking a familiar shape, it became hard to deny the fact that their enemy had returned and that this time, he had no idea how they were going to defeat him along with the Evil One.

* * *

><p>Takuya thought he was dreaming, hallucinating even. He didn't really know when he had fallen asleep, but there was no way that what was actually happening was real.<p>

There was no way he was face-to-face with a golden-haired demon clad in a strange red-and-black armor and a fairy dressed in a scantily clad purple outfit. Sure, it was possible to run into them if there was a convention around, but there wasn't. He was pretty sure that these people before him weren't just donning a costume of sorts...not if the flame that was burning just behind him—something that was caused when Takuya said something that may have been a bit disrespectful to the fairy-person that angered the one that looked like a demon—or the fact that the fairy-person was _floating_ in the air had anything to say about it.

"Agunimon, calm down," the fairy said.

_Yes, please do._ Takuya couldn't help but plead silently. The look the Aguni-what-now-person was giving him was enough to scare anyone (maybe even make them wet their pants). Takuya was pretty sure he was going to burn him alive with the look he was being given.

"But he called you—"

"I know what he called me. I _heard_ it." If she could roll her eyes and let the demon-thing-person-whatever see it, she would have. "Just, relax. Do that breathing exercise-thing, or something. It would be really pointless if you kill him. Not after what we had to do just to show ourselves to him."

_What the heck is going on?_

The demon grumbled under his breath, still glaring at Takuya, he said, "You're lucky. If you were somebody else I wouldn't have hesitated."

The fairy giggled. She looked like she liked how the demon was being protective of her. For Takuya, it was...strange to watch, to say the least.

"Okay..." Takuya didn't know what else to say.

"We should get it over and done with, Agunimon." The fairy suddenly turned serious. It was like she had an on and off switch. One moment she was giddy, the next you would have thought the apocalypse was just right around the corner. "We don't have much time left. We still have to do the same with Izumi."

"Yeah, you're right." Agunimon nodded, then turned his attention back at Takuya. "I was going to try and do this as painlessly as possible for old time's sake but, after what you said to Kazemon..."

Agunimon then suddenly vanished.

The fairy, the one he called Kazemon, then said, "Brace yourself, Takuya."

Before he could ask her what she meant, or even do as she had told him, his brain suddenly felt like it was being assaulted by hundreds of sharp objects. It was like someone was trying to take over his brain. Ready or not, Takuya didn't think he could've done anything else but faint.

* * *

><p>"How can you be back?" Katsuya blurted the question out, never bothering to hide the anger and confusion in his voice.<p>

"Why shouldn't I be back?" Chronosmon asked as he stood beside Yumi. "Who wouldn't want to witness the end of the human and digital worlds?"

Katsuya could've answered Chronosmon's question. He was pretty sure the humans and the Digimons aren't looking forward to such an event. But Chronosmon didn't give him a chance, as the Digimon began to speak once more.

"Tell me, what do you think of Yum, the first of the Corrupted?"

"The Corrupted?" Katsuya threw the question back.

"Yes, The Corrupted. That's what Yumi's role is in all of this, you know." Chronosmon sounded like he was gloating. Like all of that was happening was what he had planned from the very beginning. "The Key to the beginning of the end...the end that shall be heralded by the Corrupted, vessels of the Evil One."

"Vessels...of the Evil One? Wait! You can't mean—!"

"Exactly!" Laughed Chronosmon. "It's pretty hard to believe for the moment, but soon the Evil One will set his plans into motion. He just needs to get used to moving around using the vessels—the Corrupted."

Katsuya had nothing to say to that. He couldn't put his thoughts into words. One thing was certain, though. Yumi wasn't the last of the people he would have to fight—people he cared about.


	21. Breakthrough!

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

Ah, another delayed chapter. Really sorry about that, guys. I'd been having a rough time at work (though I have now, finally, resigned) that kept me from working on this or any of my fanfic. Anyways, there are two more chapters coming up before the week ends to apologize for the delay. Hope you guys enjoy reading and don't forget to review! :)

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Twenty**

**Breakthrough!**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_Thus each extreme to equal danger tends,_

_plenty, as well as want, can separate friends._

.::.

* * *

><p><em>He <em>was having fun. Yes, definitely having fun. _He_ liked these kinds of games, loved them for the excitement they brought. _He_ enjoyed whenever someone gets stumped, was always thrilled when the emotions come rushing out be it fear, pain, agony, or what have you.

_He_ couldn't keep his mouth from curving into a gleeful smile. _He_ was so close to winning. Oh, so close. _He_ didn't busy himself into thinking about "what ifs", scenarios in which his plans would not come to pass. There was, after all, a one in a hundred chance that things would go wrong for him. _He_ would only need a little more time, just a tiny bit more, and _He_ would be completely free of the shackles that bound him.

True, _He_ would rather _He_ retained his visage and not have to make use of the girl's body for his own. But, _He_ really couldn't complain. Not after eon's worth of waiting, locked up, with his powers completely sealed. No, there was no room for complaint. What _He_ has room for were the multitude of plans waiting to be pushed through, a list of all who had opposed him that _He_ would take time to make quick work off, and, of course, the imminent destruction and rebirth of a world.

* * *

><p>Agunimon began stretching his arms upward, then his body side to side. He moved his head in the same manner, trying to get the kinks out of his rigid movement. He then proceeded to march in place and then went back to stretching his arms up again and doing the whole exercise.<p>

He wasn't used to moving around in such a small and light body, after all, it was the first time he had tried to make use of a human as a vessel to move around in. It amazed him, briefly, how humans could easily adapt to any situation as he thought back on how easy it was for Takuya to move when he was the one using his body through the Spirit Evolution.

"Will you quit doing that," Kazemon chided him. "People are starting to stare."

Agunimon was about to open his mouth when he thought better than to answer the Spirit of Wind verbally. After all, he knew no one could see her apart from himself after she had used her powers to become invisible to the naked eye.

Instead of voicing his thoughts aloud, Agunimon muttered, "Let them stare. I can't help it if this body's giving me trouble. I have to do this, otherwise, I'll be all rigid."

"I get that, but you have to think about Takuya, too." Huffed Kazemon. "What'll happen if people start to think that he's crazy or weird?"

Agunimon, in Takuya's body, thought for a moment before shrugging. "It doesn't matter."

"What?" It was clear Kazemon wasn't expecting him to say that. "If this is some ploy to get back at Takuya, you should give it a rest. I'm sure he doesn't mean what he said before."

Agunimon couldn't help but roll his eyes. That wasn't it, and he made sure to tell Kazemon just as much.

"Then what?"

"Do you really think what he does, or what people around here thinks, would matter after all this is over? I doubt it would matter much to Takuya, after all, this place...this place isn't the same neighborhood, city, or even country he's really familiar with. Hell's Field, this isn't even the same universe...at least, I think it isn't."

Kazemon's mouth dropped open, and she stuttered the question, "W-W-What? What do you mean?"

"I'll explain when we can talk freely again," was Agunimon's curt answer. Despite having said that he didn't care, Agunimon didn't like the looks the people were giving him as he continued to mutter to himself and stretch.

Not waiting for Kazemon to object, Agunimon began walking—which still felt new to him, the lightness and all. Kazemon quickly flew after him, saying, "You can't just expect me to wait after hearing you say that."

Agunimon just shrugged. He had thought long and hard about what was going on and, although the pieces didn't fit just yet, there was one thing he was sure of: this may be the same Japan, Hell's Field, maybe even the same Human World, but it was still different. He planned to explain it all after Kazemon had done her part and they started moving, after all, there was something more important than an explanation right now.

* * *

><p>Katsuya was running as fast as his feet would carry him. He had already thrown the notion of bringing Yumi back. It had, after all, become apparent, that he wouldn't be able to do it. Not yet, and <em>definitely<em> not on his own. She was too powerful, and with Chronosmon with her, it would be suicide to stick around. Not only that but Chronosmon had also said she was one of the Corrupted—a vessel for the Evil One, and that the Evil One was only getting used to the body that was now his.

He didn't want to stick around to find out what happens over time, when the Evil One had gotten used to Yumi's body and was ready to fight full force. Katsuya was already having a hard time dealing with her in her current state, what more when the process—whatever that process was that merged the Evil One's consciousness, maybe even his _soul_ or _spirit,_ into Yumi's body—was finished? The thought sent chills to his spine and gave him goosebumps.

_I'm sorry, Yumi_. He couldn't keep himself from apologizing, as he ran. Even though he didn't have a choice, Katsuya still felt sick whenever his mind told him that what he was doing was abandoning her. _I'm sorry._

* * *

><p>The old man was worried. Something was wrong. Very wrong. He could feel it in the air.<p>

His brow creased, he wondered for a moment what the strange feeling he was feeling was. Looking around the bright room he was in, he could sense that there was something different about. What it was though, the old man had yet to know.

For the first time, the old man found himself asking, "What is going on?"

* * *

><p><em>How the heck am I supposed to get out of here? Where in Hell's Field am I?<em> Duskmon found himself had managed to free himself and had, as much as he hated to admit, ran away as soon as he could. After that, he had ran around, searching for a way to escape the strange prison he had found himself in. He was doubtful he was still inside of Kouichi's consciousness.

_The kid can be a little dark at times but, this is just stretching it._ Duskmon thought to himself as he looked around. _Besides, I've been around his mind long enough to know that there isn't a part of him that is as dark as this place makes it out to be._

_What's more, I can't feel him anywhere._

Duskmon didn't want to think that something bad had happened to Kouichi. He didn't want to think that he had just messed things up somehow, not when there was a lot resting on his shoulders. But, there was something—an inkling of some sort—that told him he had little time left before things started to really fall apart.

_But, what to do? How do I get out of this place?_ He looked around. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, except the vast expanse of darkness—a darkness that even he wasn't comfortable of.

An idea—a crazy and seemingly impossible thing—crossed his mind. It was so far-fetched that he couldn't help but think how silly it would be to think of such a thing and even contemplate on whether it would work or not.

"What the hell," Duskmon shrugged, a lazy grin on his face. "What's the worst that could happen?"

* * *

><p>She breathed a sigh of relief as she plopped herself on her bed, her arms spread like she was just about ready to make a snow angel. She didn't know why but she felt extremely tired, like she had just spent the rest of her day doing something extraneous and not relaxing with her mother, spending time and just bonding with her.<p>

As she stared at the ceiling, her mind couldn't help but travel to the boy she had bumped into earlier. For some reason, she couldn't keep herself from remembering the boy's face and his voice—both of which looked and sounded familiar to her.

The longer she contemplated on why that would be, the more her mind told her that she was simply over-thinking things. Despite what her mind was telling her, the feeling of familiarity wouldn't go away.

She hated having to be stuck in thinking about him, and she didn't really believe that she was experiencing "love at first sight". She didn't believe in such a thing. "It pays to have a second look," she remembered reading that somewhere and she agreed with it. But, still...

"Ugh," she took a pillow and buried her head on it. "Just stop it, please. Let me think about something else!"

Just then, she heard a noise in her room: the sound of feet hitting the floor, followed by the sound of something toppling on the floor. Quickly she pulled the pillow off of her face and sat up. Her mind quickly readied itself and she balled herself ready as well.

She may have been ready to give the intruder some pounding but all of that—all of the defense classes she took and the preparations she had on her mind—vanished when she saw what it was that had caused the small commotion.

There, standing just beside her window, holding the plastic bottle that she believed was what had toppled over, was the very same boy that wouldn't stay out of her mind.

_You've got to be kidding me!_ Her mouth was agape at she stared at him—him whom she would have believed was just a figment of her imagination had there not been a sound—in surprise.

The boy didn't so much as pay any attention to her at first as he placed the bottle he had knocked over back on her desk where it belonged. Looking satisfied at what he had done, he then turned his gaze on her.

The look he was giving her caught her breath. His gaze was different from when they first met. It was more...knowing. Not confused. Not by a long shot. There was a certainty to him that told her he was where he was supposed to be and didn't just happen to mistake climbing inside someone else's house.

When the initial shock had worn off, Izumi finally managed to stutter out—while pointing an accusatory finger—at the intruder, "Y-Y-You!"

"Izumi Orimoto," the boy nodded, a gentle smile on his face, as he greeted her.

Two things made Izumi catch her breath again. The first one was because, obviously, she didn't expect the boy to know her name. The second, it was his smile. She was certain it wasn't the first time she saw that expression from the very same face.

_Impossible._

"How do you know my name? I've never met you before." It was a logical question to ask.

"Sure you have!" Came the answer, but it didn't come from the boy. The voice was girly and it came from someone who jumped from the open window and gracefully landed, without a sound, inside her room.

Izumi's eyes went wide, a scream threatened to escape her. The boy seemed to have sensed that and in as quick a movement as he could, he ran towards her and put a hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming.

He then turned towards the _thing_—the monster—that had leapt inside her room and said, "You tell me to mind myself and you just go and do that. Are you trying to give her a heart-attack or something, Kazemon?"

"Oh, right," the fairy-looking-thing with purple hair and small amount of clothes smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I am just so happy to see Izumi again."

_Again?_

The boy shook his head, turned to face Izumi again and asked, "Are you okay?"

It was, perhaps, the most moronic thing anyone could've asked at that moment. No, of course she wasn't okay. She was frightened, confused, and a bunch of other things. _Who is this boy? What on earth is that weird person with him? How do they know who she is?_ Questions liked that swirled inside of her mind.

The first question she decided to ask, however, in response to the boy's question was, "W-What is that thing?"

Izumi pointed at Kazemon who, upon hearing her say that, puffed her cheeks and pouted.

"I am not a _thing_," Kazemon huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I understand that your head is kind of all over the place, but you didn't need to have referred to me like that."

"What do you mean my head's 'all over the place'?" Izumi retorted, mimicking Kazemon as she too crossed her arms. "I am not ditzy."

"She didn't say you are," the boy replied, looking a tad bit amused at what was going on between the two. "Kazemon was just referring to the way you're head has been messed up by the enemy."

Izumi looked at the boy, blankly. _What on earth is he talking about? Messed up memory? Enemy? _It was then that an idea formed inside of her head. _Of course! I see what this is!_

With a smirk playing on her lips, Izumi asked, "Okay, I get it now. Who put you up to this? Was it June? Or maybe Yukari? Were they the ones who told you to freak me out by cosplaying as some weird semi-dressed fairy-thing and give me the spiel you just gave me?"

"June? Yukari?" It was the boy's turn to look confused.

Incidentally, the one called Kazemon cocked her head to the side and asked, "Cosplaying? What's that?"

_Seriously?_ Izumi raised an eyebrow. She couldn't believe what great actors these two were with how genuinely confused they seemed to look.

"Sorry but Kazemon and I don't know any humans by that name," the boy replied. "And, well, we have no idea what this 'cosplaying'-thing you mentioned is. You already knew this before but, since you have forgotten, then let me just say that Kazemon and I are two of the Digi-Spirits that reside in the Digital World."

"Digi-spirits?" the word sounded familiar but, at that moment, Izumi couldn't find the reason why. As familiar as it sounded it was also pointless for her. "Are you telling me that neither of you are human? That's—"

"Impossible, not really. But, yes. Agunimon and I are not human, although, he is using Takuya's body for the moment." Kazemon replied.

"Takuya?" The way she said his name, the way it rolled out of her tongue, was so very familiar that it caught her off-guard even as Kazemon explained to her who Takuya was. She felt her heart skip a beat at it and felt as though she had said that name so many times before. It was a strange feeling, one Izumi did not know how to explain.

She then shook her head, it was getting crazier and crazier by the minute and she didn't want to have any part on it. With that much decided, Izumi spoke, "I don't know what the deal is with the two of you, I don't even know how you know my name or know where I live, or whether this is some prank orchestrated by June and Yukari, but this ends now. So, can you please just leave, before I scream and call for help. I'm pretty sure my mother wouldn't think twice in calling the police, and neither will our neighbors."

The boy, Takuya or Agunimon (or whatever it was they want to call themselves), as well as Kazemon both looked at each other. They seemed to have nailed down the ability to communicate without saying anything to each other because no sooner after that did they nod.

"We're sorry but, we can't let you do that." Kazemon was the first to speak. "Very, _very_ bad things are going to happen if we don't have you with us."

"What?"

Instead of answering her question, Takuya-slash-Agunimon called out to Kazemon saying, "Do it. Now!"

Without a word of warning—apart from those that the boy said—Kazemon flew towards Izumi. Moments before their collision, Izumi found herself losing consciousness not knowing what was going on and what has happened.

* * *

><p>She dusted herself. Well, technically, she was dusting off the dirt that may have gotten into Izumi's clothes but, since she <em>was<em> Izumi at that point...well, the former still applied.

"I think Izumi's not happy," Kazemon said as she began to fix her hair. "Maybe we should have explained things a bit better instead of forcing our way through."

"We don't have a choice. Explaining things to them wouldn't necessarily mean that they would understand it. This way, we can bring them to where they need to be without the hassle." Agunimon stated, but as he was doing so, he was looking at Kazemon strangely.

"What?" Kazemon asked when she noticed the look Agunimon was giving her.

"How are you able to move so fluidly like that?" Agunimon blurted out, a bit of frustration showing in his face. "I've been working on Takuya's body for a while but I still feel...rigid. But, you! You've only been using Izumi for a couple of minutes but it seems like you've been using it your whole life!"

Kazemon blinked. That wasn't what she was expecting him to say. It irked her, for some reason, that _that_ was what was bugging the Digi-Spirit of Fire.

"That's it?" her tone was monotonous and it worried Agunimon a bit. He knew what _that_ tone meant, and it wasn't good.

"W-What?" He opted to go for the safe route of feigning ignorance. "Can I _not_ ask that question?"

Kazemon 'Hmphed' before answering, "I don't know. It just feels natural. I guess it has something to do with my element."

"The Wind?"

Kazemon nodded, not bothering to give Agunimon any explanation.

_Let him think that one over._ She thought to herself as she began to head towards the open window.

"Are you coming?" She asked him rather harshly.

"O-Of course!" Agunimon nodded as he walked towards her, all the while wondering what had just happened.


	22. Dark Uprising

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

As promised, here is the second chapter update for this week (a third one is coming tomorrow, provided that my internet connection isn't dismal). I hope you guys enjoy reading it! Also, I'm thinking of turning my CoT fanfics into videogames. Are you guys interested in something like that? If so, tell me and maybe (depending on how people receive that idea), I might just get them done. :)

Anyways, I hope you guys like this chapter! And, oh! Don't forget to review. :)

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**Dark Uprising**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_Brief as the lightning in the coiled night,_  
><em>that, in the spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth.<em>  
><em>And ere a man had power to say,<em>  
><em>"Behold! The jaws of darkness do devour upon." <em>

.::.

* * *

><p>There were a couple of things that, perhaps, they have failed to take note of, maybe even think about, before they went on ahead with their plan.<p>

For one, it never crossed their minds that donning a human body—even if that body was that of their _Spirit Shinker_—would not necessarily mean they get to retain things that they could do when they were in their original forms.

Second, humans were, obviously, not as durable as Digimons were. They may be able to take a hit or two without much consequence, but their bodies were not built to withstand attacks that were powerful enough to shatter mountains and rip apart forests.

It was, therefore, foolish enough on their part to forget about such important things. Especially when the moment they remembered something as important as that was when they are finally caught right in the middle of a pinch.

"I...didn't see this coming," Agunimon admitted as he stood back up, the jacket Takuya had been wearing had been ripped to shreds and his face had a long gash that went from his upper left cheek to his lower jaw, blood trickling down.

Kazemon merely nodded as she stood beside Agunimon. She felt the same way. She couldn't believe they failed to see the possibility of an ambush—of an attack.

She was in the same disheveled state as Agunimon, having been caught off-guard as soon as they have arrived at their destination.

_How _did_ we not see _this_ coming?_ She wondered to herself.

* * *

><p><em>Several hours ago...<em>

"Are you ready?" Agunimon asked, despite thinking that the question was really pointless. Ready or not, they really don't have much of a choice but to go on ahead if they wanted to stop the apocalypse.

Kazemon gave the reply that mimicked Agunimon's trail of thought, "Will it change matters any if I said I wasn't?"

"No, not really." Agunimon admitted.

"Then why bother to ask?" Clearly Kazemon was still pissed off with him for reasons Agunimon couldn't really fathom.

"I don't know," Agunimon shrugged. Despite knowing Kazemon for a _very _long time, he was still very wary of her when she gets into that mood. Like the wind, Kazemon was _very _temperamental. "It just felt like a respectful thing to ask rather than us jumping through immediately."

Kazemon didn't say anything to him after that and Agunimon merely shrugged.

They were standing atop Tokyo Tower, one of the many places on the Human World where a "weak spot" had previously existed. A "weak spot" that would lead them to the Digital World once they opened a portal where, hopefully, they would find a way to get to where Kouichi and Yumi had gone.

The "weak spot" which is undetectable by humans and most, if not all, technological devices, was something both Agunimon and Kazemon remembered when they were trying to find a way to seek help. Though they, themselves could easily pass through these "weak spots" with the use of a portal, they had no means to get to the others—which is what they intend to do. The only ones who can—whom they _believed_ could—were the human children, the _Spirit Shinkers_, who held infinite possibilities within them.

It was one of the reasons why the Digital World always seek the aid of humans: because of their potential.

Of course, they could have taken the "normal route" to the Digital World—the same route Takuya, Izumi, and the others had taken in the past but, that route was a dangerous one to take at such a time when they knew their enemies would be guarding them.

Agunimon shook his head. Now was not the time to think of those things. The time for contemplation has passed, it was the time for action.

Looking at Kazemon, who nodded at him, the two of them proceeded to open a portal at the "weak spot", focusing all of their power in the act. The portal to the digital world began to emerge, heeding the call from two of the ten that held balance to their world.

With the portal opened, the two didn't waste any time jumping in.

The free-fall feeling that accompanied their journey through the portal didn't last long. It took roughly five minutes before their feet touched solid ground and they arrived at the Digital World.

Agunimon couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, glad that it went without a hitch. He was expecting something to go wrong, because clearly, the whole universe—parallel or otherwise—liked to put them in as many trouble as it could over a course of a day.

Of course, that was before he realized where—exactly—they had landed in.

"Agunimon, isn't this near...Akiba Market?" Kazemon asked him, even though she really didn't need to verify it. After all, it was snowing and there was a giant furnace sticking out not too far from where they had arrived.

Agunimon looked over at the direction where Kazemon was looking at. Sure enough, there was that familiar furnace that kept its inhabitants warm and, upon focusing really, _really_ hard, he could hear the faint noise of those Digimons who were taking up a living there.

"The Autumn Leaf Fair," Agunimon nodded. This was _not_ the place they wanted to be in. "We missed out mark completely. This is a long ways away from Seraphimon's Castle."

"Now what are we going to do? We can't be seen, not as Takuya and Izumi. If the enemy finds out..." Kazemon trailed off, worried at the outcome should that come to pass.

Agunimon nodded, understanding full well what was going to happen. They both had hoped to end up in either Seraphimon or Ophanimon's Castle where they _knew_ they would be safe and their presence hidden. To end up at such a busy and now-booming part of the Digital World? How bad are their luck really to end up where a lot of Digimon could see them and would, no doubt, talk about them?

"What else _can_ we do? We have to find a way around Akiba Market and hope that we don't run across anyone." Agunimon answered seeing that Kazemon was waiting for a response.

Kazemon didn't like the idea, especially since she was stuck inside Izumi's body. Not only would they have to walk and take the route that was less traveled, she would also have to make sure that nothing happens to her _Spirit Shinker_.

But, Agunimon was right. They didn't have any other choice and with a frustrated sigh, the two began to walk as far away from Akiba Market and its denizens, and then around it.

She had heard Izumi complain over and over again—verbally and silently—whenever she and the other _Spirit Shinkers_ had to traverse long distances during their journey, Kazemon sometimes thought that she was just being whiny, it was only when she had to do the same thing—travel on foot—that Kazemon realized how she hated walking and felt _exactly_ what it was that Izumi felt.

Never had Kazemon wished she could fly than at that moment.

"I like humans," Kazemon said. Agunimon didn't understand where that statement had come from until she added, "But I don't like to _be_ a human. _Questo è frustrante_!"

Agunimon quirked an eyebrow at his companion, "Was that...what was it? Italian? Did you just speak Italian?"

Kazemon thought for a moment and nodded. She did speak Italian, one of the languages Izumi knew how to speak. It shouldn't have come as a surprise to Agunimon, though. He knew that some of their _Spirit Shinker's_ characteristics—their traits and personalities—had somehow merged with them.

A moment of silence enveloped them as they walked before Agunimon once again spoke.

"What does it mean?" He asked.

For a moment, Kazemon looked at him confused, which caused him to expound on his earlier question saying, "_Questo_...whatever. What does that mean?"

"_Questo è frustrante_? It's nothing... I was just complaining on how frustrating this is." Kazemon waved a hand in dismissal. "I really do not like the idea of having to walk our way to Ophanimon or Seraphimon's castle. I'm actually _this _close to letting Izumi have her body back just so I could fly."

Agunimon stopped abruptly, causing Kazemon to almost bump into him. He looked over at her, an expression that suggested he was taking her word seriously.

"Relax," Kazemon patted him on the shoulder before overtaking the Digi-Spirit of Fire, "I won't really do _that_. It's more trouble than it's worth."

Shaking his head, Agunimon resumed walking, letting Kazemon take the lead. "With you, I really am uncertain whether you actually mean what you say or not."

They have managed to travel quite a bit of distance when they sensed something different. A foreboding feeling enveloped them and they soon began to take their steps cautiously. Agunimon didn't need to tell Kazemon that that feeling meant one thing: someone was watching them.

Despite knowing that, it was hard to tell if it was friend or foe...and that made their predicament that much more dangerous.

They didn't have to wonder for long, however, when an attack was called upon them and a blazing ball of fire whizzed towards them. If it had been anyone else, if they had been using any other humans' body, neither Agunimon nor Kazemon could have dodged the attack, lucky for them both Takuya and Izumi's body remember much of their movements and were able to carry out the manuever both of them wanted to make.

They landed on separately, Agunimon on a snow-covered boulder while Kazemon surprised even herself by landing on top of a frost-bitten tree's branch.

"Wow," Kazemon couldn't keep herself from saying. "I did not see that happening."

"I guess we don't have to wonder who's side they're on," Agunimon added, his eyes moving from where the attack had hit, creating a puddle of steaming water, towards the point from where it originated. In a much louder voice, he added, "Alright, come out and let's get this over with."

"Aguni—!" Kazemon was about to chastise her companion when he shushed her and shook his head. Kazemon didn't like that at all but realized that it might not be a good idea to call Agunimon by his name. The only upper-hand they have, after all, was the fact that their enemies didn't know they had taken control of their _Spirit Shinker_'s body.

Kazemon, however, wasn't sure what it was they were expecting when Agunimon called out to their attacker. Was she hoping to meet one of the people who had attacked Takuya and the others? Was she hoping to see a high-level enemy Digimon? Well, regardless of what she was expecting to see, it didn't come close to what she actually saw.

It wasn't some powerful Digimon who had tried to give them what she would like to believe was a warning shot. If that were the case then Kazemon wouldn't have any qualms about staying her ground to fight—even though, in retrospect, she didn't know how, exactly, she would do that. No, what greeted them were not a group of high-level Digimon but, rather, a large group of in-training and rookie-level Digimons.

"What the—?" Agunimon was surprised and confused as well. He couldn't believe that they were the ones who attacked him and Kazemon. "What the heck's going on?"

"Humans!" An angry Koromon bellowed, gritting his teeth and looking at them like they were they were enemies. "How dare you show yourself here again! After what you've done!"

"What we've done?" Kazemon was just at a lost. "What are you talking about?"

"Yeah! We won't let you delete our data just like how you deleted everyone else's data!" A Gomamon angrily stomped, several other Digimons shouted their affirmations and they looked as though they were an angry mob.

"We won't let you get away!" Another Digimon, an Impmon shouted. "We'll make you pay for what you've done to Seraphimon, Ophanimon, and Cherubimon!"

_What we've done?_ It was hard to piece things together but from what Agunimon could gather, some humans arrived and had caused some kind of chaos in the Digital World. _And now we're getting blamed for it._

"Wait! You've got it all wrong." Agunimon said, trying to appease the angry mob. "We don't know what's going on but we can assure you that we didn't come here to cause trouble. Don't you guys recognize us?"

"Do we? Of course we do!" Floramon didn't hide the venom from her voice. "You are members of the _Spirit Shinkers_, you're with them—the people who destroyed the castles!"

"What?!" Agunimon and Kazemon both exclaimed in unison. They were not expecting to hear that.

"Destroy the castles? What are you guys talking about?" Kazemon asked yet again. She was starting to get annoyed with how no one seem to want to give them a straight explanation. "Seriously, we have no idea what you're saying!"

"Don't play dumb with us, human!" Shouted a Veemon, his eyes burning with what could only be described as pure rage. The way he said the word 'human' made it sound like it was the most disgusting thing in the world. "You won't fool us! We may have believed that you are friends—heroes, even—all those years ago, but not any more! We will destroy you before you destroy _us_!"

It was as if the Digimon all reached a silent consensus as they all began preparing to attack.

"This...this is bad." Agunimon didn't need to say but said it anyways before all of Hell's Field broke lose.

* * *

><p>He ran as fast as his feet could carry him but no matter which route he took, he seemed to only been moving in circles. Katsuya wanted to think that he could easily get away if he and Kouichi hadn't been separated and if he didn't have to look for him. As much as he was annoyed by the Bearer of the Spirit of Darkness, he couldn't very well leave Kouichi alone.<p>

_There's no way he's not around_. Katsuya thought to himself as he searched for his missing companion. _They forced us to separate, sure...but that doesn't mean he isn't in the very same place as me._

But, the longer he stayed and searched, the more it seemed to him that he was mistaken. He couldn't find Kouichi anywhere.

_Damn it! Where the hell are you, Kimura?!_

He was well-aware that time was _not_ on their side—not that time ever chose to side with them. With Chronosmon's return, Katsuya was certain that time would favor their enemy once more.

As he was thinking that, he failed to notice that he was no longer alone. It was only by sheer luck that the weapon thrown towards him flew him with only a few inches to spare.

Surprised by the sudden attack, Katsuya whirled around to face no other than Kouichi himself.

"What the hell, man?" Katsuya was annoyed as he stared from Kouichi to the Sword of Darkess that clattered the ground behind Katsuya. "You didn't have to do that. A simple 'Hey' or 'Hello' would have sufficed. Anyway, where the hell have you been? I've been looking all over for you. We have to get out of here, get back to the old man. You won't believe what I had just—"

He wasn't done talking when Kouichi stretched forth his hand and the sword returned to him and Kouichi faced him as if he was an enemy.

"K-Kouichi? Hey! What's wrong?" Even though Katsuya asked that question, a sense of dread crept up to him.

He didn't want to think about it, he didn't want his suspicions confirmed but the blank stare that Kouichi was giving him, the way he was poised for battle, the way it seemed like he didn't recognize who he was made Katsuya frightened.

_This _can't _be happening._

Katsuya didn't wish to believe it even when Kouichi began attacking him in earnest and all he could do was parry, dodge, and duck out of the way.

_How the hell did this happen?!_

Katsuya's mind became a whirlwind of thoughts as he began to think of ways to snap Kouichi back to his senses but, he knew that was impossible. He couldn't do the same for Yumi, how the heck was he supposed to save Kouichi who, without a doubt, had turend into one of the Corruped?

_Damn it, Duskmon. You should've been able to prevent this from happening!_

Remembering Duskmon and what the Tainted Spirit of Darkness could do, an idea began to form in Katsuya's mind—one that he hoped with pay off in the end.

_Though the chances of that happening are slim to none. _Katsuya thought bitterly as he avoided one attack after another. _Still, it's worth a shot._

Jumping as far back as he could to keep his distance from the Corrupted Kouichi, Katsuya then addressed the one person he thought would be able to help him.

"Duskmon, I know you're in there!" Katsuya shouted with as much conviction and authority as he could muster. "Now's a good a time as any to keep true to your word!"

At first, nothing happened and Kouichi continued to be in a trance, looking at him indifferently and attacking without mercy and fail. Katsuya had thought that his plan had failed and that whatever the enemy had done to Kouichi, they had also managed to purge Duskmon from his system.

He was about to give it up and escape by himself, hopefully back to the old man and the two of them could come up with a plan to rescue Kouichi and Yumi from whatever control the enemy had with them when familiar crimson-colored markings began to appear in Kouichi's face, his neck, arms, and other visible parts of his body.

Katsuya couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as his knees buckled up and he fell to the ground. His heart was thumping, and he couldn't believe his luck as he watched Duskmon take over Kouichi's body...and whoever it was that had possessed him.

"Heh, didn't think that would actually work." Katsuya laughed, albeit half-heartedly. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you back, Duskmon."

"Hmph!" Duskmon dusted himself as he flicked the Sword of Darkness back into it's incorporeal from. "I didn't know if I could return, to be honest. And don't ask me what happened, either. I have no idea. For now, let's just focus on getting out of here."

"Agreed." Katsuya nodded as he took Duskmon's hand and he pulled him up. Without a moment's notice, the two of them began their escape and their journey back to the old man's palace.

* * *

><p>The old man felt the disturbance once again, but this time, it was a different kind. A familiar one. The feeling that Katsuya was returning. However, there was something more in the air.<p>

He turned his attention back at the floating mirror. He had not used that mirror in a long while, not since peace returned to the Digital World. He didn't really have any plans on checking up on that world once more, but there was a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that told him to take a peek. Had it not been for that feeling, he would not have seen what was happening in that world.

"Takuya? Izumi?" He didn't know what to make of it. They were lost. He was certain of it, and they have yet to awaken from the dream that the enemy had pulled them in—along with the other. "How can they be awake, and fighting in the Digital World no less?"

He shook his head. Regardless of how it came to be, he knew he couldn't allow them to fall—not when the salvation of the worlds depended on it. But he—no, _they_—would have to hurry. He would have to use his powers to send them to that world without any background knowledge on what was going on.

The old man didn't like it, but he didn't have a choice.


	23. Regroup Recoup

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**Regroup; Recoup**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_"O! quid solutis est beatius curis!_  
><em>Cum mens onus reponit, ac peregrino<em>  
><em>Labore fessi venimus larem ad nostrum<em>  
><em>Desideratoque acquiescimus lecto.<em>  
><em>Hoc est, quod unum est pro laboribus tantis." <em>

.::.

* * *

><p>Duskmon glared at Agunimon. He had a million things to say to the Digi-Spirit of Fire but had to force himself to keep quiet about them as he and Kazemon (who was in the other room) were being tended to. Well, <em>most<em> of them.

The four of them—him, Agunimon, Kazemon, and Katsuya—had just returned from the Digital World after Katsuya and Duskmon saved the two Digi-Spirits who were currently inhabiting Takuya and Izumi's bodies from the angry Digimon that wanted to do them harm.

It had been a close call, had the old man not intervened and forced them—without a sliver of explanation—into the doorway to the Digital World in a heartbeat as soon as they had returned—he was pretty sure they wouldn't have made it and both the humans would've died, the Spirits that inhabited them lost once more.

Of course, when Duskmon saw Takuya and Izumi, when he realized what it was Agunimon and Kazemon had done, he couldn't keep himself from being annoyed and angry and he had been in such a mood ever since they returned to the castle mere minutes ago.

"Spit it out, Duskmon," Agunimon said, not bothering to look at him. "I know that look."

Duskmon growled, "You gave me a hard time for using Kouichi as a vessel but here you are with Kazemon doing the very same thing."

"It's not like we did it just for kicks," Agunimon countered. He sounded tired and didn't really want to be in an argument at the moment. There were a lot of things to think about, after all. "We didn't have a choice."

"And you always thought that I did," Bitterness oozed out of Duskmon's words.

"I didn't—"

Duskmon shook his head and pushed himself off of the wall he was leaning in, "You didn't have to say it, no one did. But, I'm not stupid, Agunimon. I know what you were thinking when you learned I was still stuck with Kouichi."

"Duskmon..."

But Duskmon wouldn't let Agunimon speak, sighing he began to head out of the room.

"Forget about it," Duskmon said just before he left, his back turned. "There are bigger things than you and me right now. But, I can assure you, Agunimon, we're not done."

Agunimon watched as Duskmon walked away. As soon as he was alone, he breathed a sigh. He didn't know whether he was sighing out of relief or exasperation. Maybe it was a mixture of both. Still, he can't erase the fact that what Duskmon had said was true.

For Spirits such as them, using a human as a vessel was considered the worst thing they could possibly do. What they did, forcing themselves inside their bodies and taking over their minds? It was different from Spirit Evolution. It was wrong.

_But it was necessary._ Agunimon thought to himself. _I see that now, Duskmon._

* * *

><p>Katsuya felt really awkward to be around her. He didn't know what to do, say, or even think being faced-to-face with her.<p>

"Do I have something on my face?" Izumi asked.

_No,_ Katsuya shook his head. _That's not your mom. Heck, that isn't even Izumi. That's Kazemon._

"N-No," Katsuya stuttered as he looked back at what he was doing—which was bandaging her arm. The look Kazemon gave him told him that she didn't believe him and, even though he didn't have to explain himself, Katsuya still ended up doing so. "It's just...weird. For me, at least. I mean, it's obvious that you, Agunimon, and Duskmon don't find anything strange with the whole thing."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"That whole taking-over-the-body thing." Katsuya replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "You guys don't have any problems with it, and with Duskmon, I didn't think much about it. But, with you and Agunimon strutting around using Takuya and Izumi's bodies? Well, I have to keep reminding myself you're not them."

"I see," That wasn't what Katsuya was expecting her to say. And neither was what followed after that, "I don't know about Agunimon and Duskmon but, I personally have to say that I'm not happy with the whole arrangement either and it's not only because humans are so fragile, or because I miss my wings and flying. And, although Izumi can kick butt, she's not really capable of doing most of the things I do on a regular basis. Not only that but, I feel bad about what we've done—what we're doing. We've disrupted their lives enough, this would probably leave something more behind."

"What do you mean?" Katsuya was worried. He hoped it wouldn't cause any medical condition that no doctor could diagnose.

Kazemon smiled gently at him and, with her free hand, patted his head like he was an amusing, little kid although there was nothing amusing about their predicament.

"I won't let it come to that, Katsuya but, if we're not careful we may leave some impressions of ourselves into their minds. Just like how they have left an impression on ours." Kazemon explained.

"Wait, are you telling me they might end up confusing their identity if you guys aren't careful?" The surprise mixed with horror in the way he spoke did not go unnoticed. "That's...bad. Really bad."

"You think?" Kazemon felt the same way. She didn't want Izumi's mind to invade her much like how she was certain Izumi didn't want Kazemon to invade her mind. "I love Izumi but I don't want to merge minds with her. Speaking in Italian is fine but, that's as far as I would allow it."

"Italian?" Katsuya couldn't help but give a short laugh. He could remember the times his mother spoke in Italian whenever she was frustrated or extremely happy about something. "Just don't use that on me. I don't think my head could take it if you do."

* * *

><p>Duskmon stepped out into the night. He didn't have to worry about being attacked, not while the old man was blessing them with his protection. Besides, he needed to be outside the palace for a bit. It was getting crowded for his taste.<p>

But, that wasn't the only reason.

He had also begun to sense Kouichi—or whomever now holds Kouichi's mind—fighting its way for control and Duskmon couldn't let that happen, not until he was certain that it was the _real_ Kouichi and that he won't go berserk on them.

_Settle down, would you_. _You're giving me a migraine._

Still the being persevered and it felt like someone was trying to claw through Duskmon's psyche. He tried not to show any signs of an inner battle, however. The last thing Duskmon wanted was to be locked up and to be fussed at.

There was nothing Duskmon could do, however, but calm his mind and hold his ground and he found that he could do both by being out and practicing his swordsmanship underneath a moonlit sky.

He was just in the middle of his fifth stance when Katsuya spoke from behind him.

"You're not going to get much doing that by yourself." Katsuya said as he walked towards Duskmon and proceeded to summon the all-too-familiar Gale Sword.

Duskmon raised an eyebrow, "What's this? Katsuya Kanbara wants to train with me?"

"We both need it," Katsuya shrugged, standing at the ready.

Duskmon smirked and readied himself as well. With a shrug, he said, "Well, if you insist."

That was all he needed to say before Katsuya charged forward. His speed and footwork impressed Duskmon. Neither of them planned to hold out knowing that training together, without holding back, would be more beneficial than doing otherwise.

As Duskmon's crimson swords and Katsuya's Gale Sword met, sparks flew and the sound of metal hitting metal echoed across the night. They went on training through the night, as long as their bodies would allow. When fatigue finally took its toll, the two collapsed on the grass-covered ground.

"Heh, not bad, Kanbara." Duskmon managed to say above the heaving sounds he was making. "I can't remember the last time I had a workout like that during training."

"I could say the same about you. Of course, I already know that you and Lobomon are the best swordsman around."

Duskmon frowned, "I'm better than him."

To which Katsuya only laughed. He should have known what Duskmon was going to say. After all, he always did want to prove that he was better than anybody else. Still, hearing Duskmon say that he was better made Katsuya wonder just who—between Duskmon and Lobomon—was, indeed, the better swordsman.

Of course, he didn't ask Duskmon that. He didn't need to hear the Tainted Digi-Spirit of Darkness bragging to him and explaining why he was _the_ best. He was sure that it would take a very long while for Duskmon to finish once he got the ball rolling so Katsuya decided that the best reply he could give was to shrug.

Thankfully, Duskmon took that as Katsuya's way of acknowledging that he was the better swordsman and didn't pursue the topic further. Instead, the two of them just lay there in silence, looking up at the star-studded sky waiting for the muscles to be capable of moving again.

After a while, Katsuya spoke once more. "Kazemon told me about the side-effects of using humans as vessels."

"She did?" Duskmon's answer sounded non-committal.

"I don't really care about that idiot's mind but it would be very bad if your mind completely obliterates his. Not only will my sister probably skin me alive if that happens and she learn that I knew about it beforehand, who knows how that would mess up a lot of things."

"Don't worry, I don't intend to." Duskmon suddenly became serious. When Katsuya looked on over at him, he saw something in Duskmon's crimson-colored eyes that he had only seen a couple of handful of times ever since reuniting with the Tainted Spirit. "I don't want to mess up the future, especially if that means another bunch of time-travelling know-it-alls would suddenly appear. I've got my hands full with you and your sister already."

Katsuya snorted, "No one would be time travelling any time soon. We're on our own on this one now that the present has been cut off from the future."

"Cut of...from the future?" It was the first time Duskmon heard anyone say that. "What are you talking about?"

Katsuya frowned, "Didn't the old man tell you? With how things are progressing, the future is basically non-existent."

* * *

><p>Duskmon burst into the room, surprising Kazemon and Agunimon but not the old man whom Duskmon wanted, at that moment, to introduce to his fists.<p>

"Ah, Duskmon," the old man greeted when he saw him, unperturbed by the look he was giving him. "How was your midnight stroll?"

"Cut the crap, old man!" Shouted an angry Duskmon.

"Duskmon, what in Hell's Field is going on?" Kazemon asked, clearly Duskmon had barged into some important discussion between Kazemon, Agunimon, and the old man. Duskmon, however, did not care at that moment if Kazemon was giving him that tone.

"This old man owes me an explanation," was all Duskmon was willing to say to Kazemon—and he thought that it was a lot already. After all, if Agunimon or anyone else had asked him, he wouldn't have answered them at all. Then, to the old man, Duskmon added, "What the heck was all that crap Katsuya just told me about the future being disconnected?"

Silence was the answer before Katsuya burst into the room panting. Katsuya had hoped to stop Duskmon from going crazy and doing something equally stupid, but Duskmon moved fast and with how tired Katsuya was, it took him a while to catch up.

When Katsuya saw that Duskmon was already right at the old man's face, he became worried and immediately rushed to the Tainted Spirit's side to try and calm him down.

"Duskmon, h-hey, quit it!" Katsuya said, his words ringing hollow and falling on deaf ears. "I already told you, it's not that big of a deal if we managed to put everything to right."

"It _is _a big deal." Duskmon growled, glaring at the old man. "He said what we were doing was _saving _the future. What the hell have we been doing then if there is _no _future to save to begin with? His words betrayed me."

"That's enough, Duskmon!" Agunimo spoke with authority and it irked Duskmon even more, causing the Tainted Spirit to draw forth his swords once again, pointing one of it at the Spirit of Fire.

"Shut up!" Duskmon shouted at him before returnig his attention at the old man. "I'm going to give you one chance to explain yourself, old man before I run you through with my sword."

"Duskmon!" It was Kazemon's turn to reprimand him and Duskmon gave her the same treatment he gave Agunimon, pointing his sword at her.

"I said shut up!"

Agunimon didn't like it one bit. It was one thing for Duskmon to speak and act that way towards him, but it was an entirely different matter when he does that to Kazemon. Despite that, however, Agunimon could do nothing but watch, which made him all the more irritated.

He didn't have any weapons to use against Duskmon. Unlike Takuya, he couldn't summon the Flame Sword and, unlike Duskmon, he had yet to master using a human child's body enough to be able to really fight with it. If that hadn't been the case, he was certain he'd given Duskmon a taste of his flaming fists.

"Well?" Duskmon asked the old man.

Despite how dire the situation seemed to be, despite how it escalated so quickly, the old man didn't lose his composure. He actually looked like he was expecting such a outburst.

With a clear and calm voice, the old man said, "Very well, I admit. What Katsuya had told you is the truth. The present—this present time—had been cut off from the future. To be precise, it has been cut off from the two possible futures that had been presented to you."

"The future where Chronosmon reigned, and the future where Chronosmon has been defeated are the two futures that had been cut off from the present's time. The chain connecting either of them, severed. Of course, that is to be expected."

"What do you mean?" Duskmon asked just as Agunimon was about to open his mouth to voice out the same question.

"Those futures simply no longer exists." The old man answered casually, as if he had just been asked what the weather outside was.

"They no longer exist?" Kazemon asked, butting in to the conversation. "If that's the case then I am with Duskmon, what is the point of all of this?"

"The point, Kazemon, is to create another future—one that, hopefully, is a product of the victory over the Evil One." The old man stated. "To do that, however, we need to find a way to free your friends from the Evil One's grasp and set to right the wrongs done in the Digital World to prevent the impending war between humans and Digital Monsters. So, as you can see, Duskmon, I never lied to you nor had I betrayed your trust. I simply failed to explain things properly, and for that, I apologize."

Duskmon, upon hearing the old man's explanation, didn't say anything. He just harrumphed, sheathed his weapon, and walked out of the room leaving the old man, Katsuya, Agunimon, and Kazemon behind.

When the initial shock of what had happened and what had been said had worn off, Agunimon asked one other crucial question to the old man: "What are we going to do now? The damage dealt on the Digital World to make the Digimon mad and ready themselves for war must be unbelievable...with only the five of us, how are we supposed to bring about this other future you speak of especially when neither Kazemon nor I can do much to help?"

"That's simple," the old man answered. "The first order of business is for all of us to rest. After which, Katsuya would do what must be done to help wake Takuya Kanbara and Izumi Orimoto."

* * *

><p>Katsuya sighed as he wearily sat down at the foot of his bed. He had dodged Kazemon and Agunimon's questions regarding the role he was supposed to play to bring Takuya and Izumi to the waking world and had waved the 'I'm tired' excuse just so they would leave him be and let him go to his room to rest.<p>

_What are you planning, old man?_ He didn't understand why the old man—who had told him to keep his role silent—would suddenly tell everyone that he, Katsuya Kanbara, had another role to play. A role that did not concern his twin sister.

To be fair, he didn't know what he had to do exactly, only that he had something he _could _do to wake his future parents from their slumber. The old man hadn't told him the exact details. But somehow, Katsuya couldn't help but think that whatever it was he was going to do, it would require a lot from him.

That was, after all, the only thing he could think of as to why the old man was hiding the details. He hoped that he wasn't just going to be some sort of payment—an exchange. That would suck. He still wanted to return to his own time, live the life he was meant to live, and be reunited with his family, after all.

"Well, I suppose worrying about it now wouldn't do me any good." Katsuya sighed, his eyelids dropping as sleep began to claim him. "I just hope all this would really be worth it..."


	24. Katsuya's Role

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

Hello, everyone!

Well, here is a brand new chapter for this fanfic (I hope you guys like it). The story will be picking up from here, so yeah...

Also, there's a bit here in this chapter that features something from an upcoming book I have. You'll probably guess what it is when you read it.

Anyways, happy reading!

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**Katsuya's Role**

* * *

><p>.::.<p>

_The phoenix hope can wing her way through the skies,_  
><em>and still defying fortune spite, revive from ashes and rise.<em>

.::.

* * *

><p>Agunimon paced back and forth in the palace's rotunda, his mind filled with swirling thoughts. The day the old man had told them was fast approaching, he should be happy about it but all he could feel was a bundle of worry.<p>

It was a good thing. If things progressed as the old man had planned, Takuya and Izumi would be back and ready to fight. The problem was, how were they supposed to fight? They no longer have D-Tectors and the Elemental Swords could only do so much, it wouldn't be enough. In the end, Agunimon found it very hard to believe that—without the aid of the Digital World—they would have cause to celebrate.

No matter how you looked at it, winning against the Evil One, stopping the impending war, bringing everything back to normal—those things seemed impossible to attain.

"We'd need a bigger miracle this time around," sighed Agunimon.

"For what?" Kazemon suddenly spoke, surprising Agunimon. He didn't sense her presence, didn't hear her arrival either.

Had it been anyone else standing in his place, Agunimon was certain that they would have suffered a heart-attack from what Kazemon just did. As surprised as he was, he tried to hide it from her. She would no doubt only make fun of him or make some bizarre comment should she know that he wasn't able to sense her presence before she spoke.

Agunimon weighed what he could answer her in his mind. He figured it wasn't a good idea to let her in on his doubts and his worries. She didn't need to hear how unrealistic their current goals were, especially not from him—the only other Digi-Spirit around, apart from Duskmon and her.

Thinking that he could somehow steer the conversation away, Agunimon instead asked Kazemon, "What are you doing here? I thought you were helping the old man tend with his garden."

"I was," Kazemon answered, walking closer towards him. She had taken the liberty to tie Izumi's hair up—something that Agunimon knew she wanted to do to her own purple hair but had never been able to. "We just finished, actually. What about you? I heard you mumbling something about a miracle."

"Ah, I was just remembering our final battle with Lucemon. Or rather, the _Spirit Shinker_''s battle." Agunimon quickly came up with an answer. "Takuya and the others managed to win and believed it all to be some form of miracle that they did so. Heh, I don't blame them. We had been weakened, beaten too many times, and then, out of nowhere, they suddenly found this immense power—a power _we _didn't even know existed within them, and within ourselves."

Kazemon shook her head. What Agunimon had said may be true but there was one thing that she didn't agree with.

"We knew that power existed, Agunimon." She said. "We just didn't know the true extent of it and, even now, I don't think we still fully understand it. At least, that's what the old man told me."

* * *

><p>"You know, if you're not going to eat that, can I just have it?" Duskmon said after having watched Katsuya simply stare whilst playing with his food. He wasn't really hungry. He wasn't really up for a second serving, but Duskmon wanted to say something that would require the blond-haired boy to answer him back.<p>

Katsuya just mumbled incoherently at him and Duskmon didn't know how to take that answer. He didn't want to admit it but he was worried about Katsuya whom he had noticed had been acting strangely ever since they had rescued Takuya and Izumi—no, Agunimon and Kazemon.

Before Duskmon could mull over and think about what could be bothering Katsuya, the human in question suddenly spoke.

"Duskmon," he began, "Have you ever been afraid of something—something that you knew was going to happen—something you shouldn't really be afraid of but you end up being anyways even though you know it was going to happen to begin with?"

"What's this about?" Duskmon asked back, placing down the fork that was in his hands.

He had never heard the tone that Katsuya was using before. He sounded resigned, frightened about something, like a child. It wasn't the Katsuya he was used to be around. This was a different Katsuya, a Katsuya whom Duskmon could not really associate with the boy he had come to know as a warrior.

"It's just...I know what I'm supposed to do. I know the whole reason I'm here to begin with was for this moment—the moment when I have to help my parents get their head back into the game, you know? I don't know why but, whenever I think about what I'm supposed to do, I get all uncertain and afraid, which is funny and strange. After all, I've already sacrificed myself ones before and what I'm supposed to do would be just as crucial without the whole sacrificing-thing. But, even knowing that, I—"

Katsuya shook his head, unable to continue, and looked down at his uneaten plateful of food.

Duskmon watched him like he would an enemy during a fight. He could see how much the young Kanbara was holding in. How confused he was with the feelings that were fluttering in his heart. He could smell how frighten he was as well. But, what can he say? Duskmon wasn't really the person Katsuya should be going to for a pep-talk. Heck, he would be the last on anybody's list for that.

But, despite thinking that, Duskmon could see that Katsuya needed help. And, he decided to try and see how well he does, although he was sure he would do an incredibly poor job at it.

"I did, at one time." Duskmon admitted, then shook his head. "Of course, that doesn't count the days that passed after I ran into the _Spirit Shinkers._"

Katsuya looked over at him, curious now of his side of the story. Duskmon, however, didn't want to share things he felt his companion shouldn't know. He thought for a short while before continuing, choosing his words carefully.

"I was so determined on my goal—on the task I was given...and certain that I was going to kick their asses. I was stronger than any of them. I believed that and without a human dragging me down, I knew that to be true." Duskmon said. "I defeated them a couple of times, scared them off into running much like how I had done to all those who opposed Cherubimon but, regardless of how many times I kicked them down, I never understood why they would continue to rise up. I did't understand what was driving them to fight me and how they were able to do so, especially Kouji. Like your father, he's one persistent bastard."

"When they began to show signs of growing stronger, I began to doubt myself. As much as I hate to admit it, I wondered what in Hell's Field I was doing. I kept wondering about what it was that made them strong, why they were fighting even when this world wasn't theirs to protect and all they really wanted was to just find a way back to their own world. I gave in to Cherubimon—no, Lucemon's promise of power—and allow the beast within me to take over because of the pride I had. I didn't want to lose to humans. And I suppose, that, in the end, was the reason I lost. It wasn't the difference between their power and mine that did me in."

It was strange for him to talk about these things which he didn't find true until he actually said them out loud. And, for some reason, Duskmon couldn't stop talking, could't stop telling his story.

"I was defeated because I failed to understand something that these humans have come to understand. They weren't fighting alone, even when they were. They had with them the spirit of the Ancient Ten. I, on the other hand, only had myself and, unlike them, I was a tainted spirit. A corrupted." Duskmon snorted at the thought as he shook his head. "You know, now that I think about it, I'm not alone in failing to realize that. Although, I am starting to see it."

"What do you mean?"

"Agunimon and Kazemon," Duskmon stated, there was a smug look on his face as he spoke. "Those two high-and-mighty idiots think they know everything, and it has just begun to dawn on them that they don't. I think I understand why they couldn't defend themselves, even when—if you think about it—nothing was really holding them back. I mean, look at me and Kouichi. I can use his body and control my powers at the same time, and he can do the same."

Katsuya frowned. "Are you saying you know the secret to fighting with Kouichi?"

"Not just with Kouichi," Duskmon replied. "I know how we can _all _fight—_all _Digi-Spirits."

"Then you should tell them!" Katsuya forgot what it was that was dragging him down as Duskmon admitted to having figured out something important. "They have to know. They _need _to know."

But Duskmon shook his head. "It is not my place to tell them the secret. It's something they—and every single Spirit—have to figure out for themselves. That's the only way it will work."

* * *

><p>"And that's what he told me." Katsuya narrated to the old man. "I don't understand what Duskmon meant by that."<p>

After hearing the admission from Duskmon, Katsuya had left Duskmon behind and immediately went to search for the old man. He found him in the room with the giant, floating, glass ball, sitting in-front of it. He didn't waste time telling the old man what Duskmon told him.

The old man had listened intently, never interrupting him as he spoke. Katsuya couldn't help but notice how the old man didn't look surprise with any of his revelation, even after he had finished talking and he wondered why that could be.

"You have to trust that Duskmon means well and knows what he is saying," the old man finally spoke after a while. "It may surprise you to know that I agree with him and I fully understand what it is he had come to realize." The old man then chuckled and added, "Though for Duskmon to be the first to realize that, I must say I am quite surprised. It is a pleasant surprise, though."

"I don't understand..."

"You will...In due time. As with everything else." was the old man's cryptic words.

* * *

><p>Days passed since Duskmon had his talk with Katsuya and both Agunimon and Kazemon in Takuya and Izumi's body have recovered. Katsuya had given up on asking Duskmon to share whatever knowledge he knew to both Agunimon and Kazemon. It has, after all, became apparent that the Tainted Spirit of Darkness didn't plan on sharing anything any time soon.<p>

When it became clear to the old man that the Spirit of Fire and Wind have fully recovered, their strength back and their wounds healed, he went on ahead and met with Katsuya.

"It is time," the old man said.

The two of them were, once again, in that room filled with crystal flowers that sparkled in the morning sun.

Katsuya took a deep breath, a breath that he expelled slowly. He was nervous, and worried, and extremely frightened of what was going to happen. Despite knowing what it was he was supposed to do and how to do it, the young man didn't know anything beyond that. He didn't even know how probably his success was—if he was even going to succeed at all.

But, he did know that he can't back out. He had to try, regardless of the outcome. For the sake of his parents and the future.

So, all Katsuya could do with such a mindset was give the old man a nod, not bothering to say anything. After all, what could he have possibly said that would hide the what he truly felt deep down inside? Not that he could actually hide anything from the old man. He couldn't. But he would like to think he could. As long as he doesn't open up about it, the old man wasn't going to say a word either. And, for that time, that was good enough.

Seeing that Katsuya was in agreement with him, the old man turned around and began walking out of the indoor garden. Katsuya followed behind him as they began to round up everyone in the palace: Duskmon, Agunimon, and Kazemon.

With the Digi-Spirits with them, they then began to head towards the lower part of the palace—a place that Katsuya hadn't stepped in before. It was, after all, the only place the old man forbade him to go wandering about when he first arrived.

Now, after what seemed like a long time since then, Katsuya was finally going to know what lay beneath the castle.

The stairway that led downwards was long, winding, and steep. There were no railings to keep anyone from pitching over. There were no lights to guide them as well, save for the ball of bluish-white light that the old man had summoned. There was no sound apart from their footsteps that echoed around them. None of them spoke. There was something in the air that kept them from talking.

To keep himself from thinking and worrying, Katsuya began to count the steps as they descended. 200. 300. 800. A thousand steps later and they were still moving. Surprisingly, he didn't feel tired as he would have and would probably not have noticed the passage of time had he not counted all those steps. Still, it made him wonder if anyone else had noticed.

After what seemed like a long time and after counting at least 3809 steps, the old man and his entourage finally arrived at the bottom. There was nothing of note when they arrived at their destination. There were no decorations, no large doors—not even a small one. Just a wide space—a large hall—with three column of spiral-looking pillars that was dizzying to look at.

"And here we are," the old man said.

"Where, exactly, are we?" Kazemon sounded like she would rather be anywhere else than where she was at, at that moment. Katsuya couldn't blame her. He felt the same way.

"We are where we need to be," was the old man's non-answer. It was an answer that annoyed Kazemon. She was not up for riddles—or whatever shenanigans the old man was up to. When no one spoke and he noticed that all eyes were on him, the old man elaborated. "This is the center of the seams of the worlds. The place that connects the world of dreams from reality—whichever reality it is you believe in."

"In other words, this is the entrance to the Dead Sea of Dreams." Duskmon was quick to understand the old man's words. "Or, the exit. Depending on how you look at it. It's where all the other worlds are connected. Well, all the other worlds that are still connected, at least."

A nod was the old man's answer. He was half-listening as his eyes and attention were more focused on Katsuya.

"Well, Katsuya?" the old man asked, not needing to say anything more than that.

Katsuya turned to him, his face in a courageous mask. Without saying anything else, Katsuya sat himself to the ground. His legs under him. Then, he closed his eyes in meditation.

The old man then turned towards Agunimon and Kazemon, "You two do the same."

"Huh?" Kazemon asked.

"What?" Agunimon chorused.

Neither of them could understand what was going on.

The old man gestured at Katsuya who remained seated, eyes closed. "Do as he does. The time has come to awaken Takuya and Izumi. We had already used what time we have for your recuperation. We cannot delay things much further if we hope to at least have a chance against the Evil One."

* * *

><p>Takuya sat with his legs crossed, his arms crossed in front of his chest and his brow furrowed. He was thinking. Thinking hard. He didn't really remember much of how he got to the place he found himself at, but he vaguely remembered an angry blond-haired demon and a fairy that looked as though she needed clothes.<p>

Takuya would've thought he was dreaming all that up, had he not woken up at such a barren landscape. It wasn't barren in a sense that no trees or flowers or shrubs grew but because there was _nothing _there. It was just a wide open space. A wide open _grey_ space. And Takuya was pretty sure he had never been to such a place before, otherwise, he would've remembered. After all, it's greyness was not something one could easily forget.

"What the heck did you get yourself into _this _time, Takuya Kanbara?" Takuya couldn't keep mumbling the question to himself. His mother always thought of him as a reckless troublemaker and Takuya wondered if karma was catching up to him now. "What the heck is this place?"

Just then, he heard a voice. It sounded worried, frightened, and unsure.

The voice surprised Takuya. Up until then, he had thought that he was alone. After all, he had searched around and found no one or saw any signs of life other than his.

"Hello? Is anyone else here?" The question came again.

It was much louder this time around. Takuya immediately sat up, looking around for any signs of where it really was coming from.

"Anyone?" The voice called out again, shaking.

Takuya didn't think twice after that as he called back out, "Hey!"

It wasn't the most meaningful thing to say but Takuya didn't know what else he could respond with. Suddenly, the voice was replaced by footsteps and from the sound of it, whoever owned the voice was rushing towards him.

Takuya didn't really have any expectations when he called back. He didn't really have any clue who he was going to run into (or who was going to run into him). One thing Takuya was sure of: he wasn't expecting to see the blond-haired girl he had bumped into earlier in the day, running towards him.

"Thank goodness you're here." She had said, panting. Her eyes were closed as she tried to regulate her breathing. "I thought I was all alone."

Takuya gulped. He didn't really know what was wrong with him but he couldn't keep himself from staring at the girl, uncertain of what to say. He wasn't sure if she remembered him. She didn't seem to. Up until the girl opened her eyes and took a good look at him.

"It's you!" She suddenly exclaimed, her mouth dropping in surprise.

Takuya could always call up a storm when talking with someone. Apparently that was true _except_ for when it comes to the girl standing in front of him. He, Takuya Kanbara, was tongue-tied and all he could muster in response was a nod.

Suddenly, the girl's demeanor changed from one of surprise to one of anger as she balled her first and, without so much as a warning, started to hit him.

"This is all _your_ fault!" She shouted as she hit him. "What did _you _do? Where am I? Where did you take me, you stupid pervert!"

"W-Woah! Hold on." Takuya tried to stop her from hitting him, ducking whenever he could just to keep him from hitting his face. "What are you talking about? How is this _my_ fault? H-Hey! S-Stop it."

The girl stopped hitting him for a moment. Takuya thought she had calm down, that is, until she gave him one, good, solid punch to the gut and he crumpled to the ground moaning. For a girl, she had a mean punch.

"Ugh...Mother of—! What the hell was that for?" Takuya managed to ask, gritting his teeth as he glared in an _entirely _different light at the girl who had just sucker punched him.

"_That _was for kidnapping me!" the girl shouted. There was an accent in her voice, something that wasn't there before.

"K-Kidnapping?" Takuya started to push himself to sit, pushing thoughts of throwing up far from his mind. _What the heck is this girl talking about? _"Why the heck would you think that? I don't even know who you are, lady."

The girl frowned. It didn't take a genius to see that she didn't believe him. For some strange reason, the girl seemed to believe that he knew her.

"Now you're telling me you _don't _know me," She was still glaring at him as she spoke. "You told me before that you knew who I was! You even know _my_ name!"

"What on earth are you talking about?" Takuya stared blankly at the girl who was not making any sense. "I don't know who you are. I've never met you before...well, until this afternoon."

Takuya didn't know it was possible for the girl's frown to deepen until it did. Then, she stared carefully at him, scrutinizing and looking for...something.

Takuya shook his head.

"Great." He muttered as he stood wobbly up. His stomach still hurt from the punch. "I'm stuck with a lunatic."

The girl glared once again at him, growling, "I am _not_ a lunatic." and looking as though she was ready to give Takuya a second round of beating.

"You could've fooled me," Takuya shrugged. "Then again...maybe I'm the one who's going crazy. There's no way this could be real."

The girl didn't like what he had said, though Takuya wasn't sure which part of it she didn't like, as she began to argue with him. Not talking any of it, Takuya fired back his own argument and, before long, the two of them were shouting at each other.

Suddenly, there was another sound. Another set of footprints making their way. Takuya and the girl stopped arguing.

"Well, this isn't something I get to see every day." a voice spoke as the footsteps stopped. Takuya couldn't see who it was that had spoken and he couldn't tell where the voice was coming from. It was like it was echoing all over the place. "Actually, I didn't think it was possible for the two of you to argue with each other like that."

"Who's there?" Takuya shouted, sounding braver and battle-ready than he actually felt. "Show yourself!"

"Geez, calm down, Takuya. There's no need to sound like that."

As those words were spoken, a guy—roughly around the same age as him—appeared. He had blond hair that was neatly combed in place and bright, green eyes that Takuya immediately thought he was the girl's relative.

"It's been a while, Takuya," the boy smiled at him. It was a kind smile. Then he turned towards the girl and added, "You too, Izumi."

"Who are you?" Takuya asked. "Have we met...before?"

"How do you know my name?" the girl—Izumi—added the question that surprised Takuya enough for him to ask if he wasn't a relative of hers. "No. I don't think so." was Izumi's reply to that, even though she wasn't quite certain of it herself. There was something about the boy that made her wonder.

"My name's Katsuya," the boy replied. There was a mixture of happiness and sadness in his eyes as he introduced himself. "And I'm here to help get you back to the way you both were."

* * *

><p>Duskmon watched as the intangible, ethereal, silvery thread that had appeared between Takuya and Izumi began to pulse. Then he looked at the golden thread that snaked from theirs to Katsuya.<p>

As a Spirit, Duskmon had always thought he knew a lot of things about the world—even more so than the other spirits. After all, he was the only one of them who threads between light and dark. He knows things that are only privy to those who are from darkness and he also shared knowledge about things that only those who fought for the light would know. He thought of himself as "the best of both worlds".

But, the longer he stayed with the _Spirit Shinkers_, the more their journey unraveled, Duskmon found surprises around every corner. He saw things he never saw before. Learned things he never thought existed or even deemed possible.

Spirits didn't need to grow, but Duskmon felt himself doing just that: growing. He didn't know whether to be happy about that or...afraid.

The iridescent threads that were snaking out of his companions were one of the things that Duskmon learned of that day from the old man.

"What are those things?" he remembered asking soon after it had appeared.

"Soul Threads," the old man replied.

"Soul Threads?"

"Each person has them and, as we become connected with each other, other people's Soul Threads intertwine with ours. It, in short, symbolizes the bonds we have made with others and others have made with us." Then he paused for a moment before adding, "The Evil One tried to sever these 'threads' by making the _Spirit Shinkers_ forget about the bonds they have made. He would have been successful, of course—well, in truth, he is already successful. But, Katsuya has in him the power to mend the Soul Threads of both Takuya and Izumi."

"Because he is their son?" Duskmon guessed.

The old man nodded once more. "A child's bond with his parents is strong. No matter what, it can not be easily severed. Even though Katsuya hails from a future that is now non-existent, the memories he carries from within that future still remain. And, with those, are the bonds he had also made. As long as he has them, Takuya and Izumi will be brought back to how they were before they were attacked."

"That's all well and good, old man, but what about the others?"

"The return of the other _Spirit Shinker's_ memories and bonds greatly rely on both Takuya and Izumi. With Kouichi's own consciousness currently held by the darkness that consumed him, Takuya and Izumi are the only ones who can act as an anchor for the others."

"Let's hope you're right." Duskmon sighed.

He could feel the darkness that the old man was talking about. It wasn't his or Ancient Sphinxmon's brand of darkness. This one was deeper, older, more ancient than the ancient Digimon himself. And he was powerless to save Kouichi from it.

* * *

><p>"I...don't understand," Takuya felt confusion was what, first and foremost, was on his mind. "What the hell are you saying?"<p>

"Come on, I know both of you understood every word that escaped my mouth," Katsuya couldn't believe how troublesome it was becoming, explaining as much as he could (with so little time he knew they had) to both Takuya and Izumi. "You two were the ones who explained all of that to me the first time."

"How can we be the one to explain that to you? I don't know you." Izumi huffed, then glared at Takuya and added, "And I certainly don't know this idiot."

"Hey!" was all Takuya could say before Katsuya stepped in, cutting their argument short.

"Seriously, guys...now really is the time to be fighting." He sighed. "Heck, I've never seen both of you argue about sometime so...stupid before either and as entertaining as it was before, it's starting to get annoying now."

"You keep talking like you really do know who we are and that this isn't the first time we've met, but I can't see anything to prove that." Izumi crossed her arms. "Besides, I think I would remember if I even met someone as annoying as him."

"I could say the same thing." Takuya retorted, then added, "For someone who looks pretty, you're personality is turning out quite the opposite."

"Immature Jerk!" Izumi looked as if she was ready to slap Takuya right on the face.

"Crazy Brat!"

"O-kay," Katsuya went in the middle of them again.

Who knew mom and dad can act like this? He thought to himself. Then shook the thought away. No, these aren't my parents...

"Obviously, I need to do something else to get you guys back together." The horrified look that crossed Takuya and Izumi's faces was something Katsuya didn't expect to see from them. He wondered if he'd said something wrong, and so he asked, "What?"

"What do you mean 'back together'?" Izumi almost shrieked.

"Now this is really becoming more and more stupid." Takuya didn't bother to hide how he felt about that too.

"Argh! Alright, no more talking!" Katsuya wanted to palm-smack his forehead, but thought the better of it. Instead, as soon as he had said those words, he reached for the hands of both Takuya and Izumi and, before they could protest, did what he was supposed to do.

He showed them their history. The history that both Takuya Kanbara and Izumi Orimoto shared. It was the history that Katsuya knew of—some he had been a part of, while others he had merely heard stories of or saw from the old man's looking glass that showed him the past.

Katsuya wanted them to remember who they were to themselves and to each other. He needed them to remember, not only because he was worried about his own existence—that worry had long stopped plaguing his mind, but because the others needed them to remember. The world needed them to remember.

It wasn't an easy feat for Katsuya to do. Throughout the process, as he was showing them how they both met, the adventures they had together, how they grew close and eventually fell in-love—as he made them remember, fixing the thread that the Evil One had severed between them—Katsuya felt his strength ebbing away. His head felt about ready to explode and he knew the headache that was going to come as aftermath was going to be a killer one.

But, Katsuya was willing to sacrifice all just to bring the two people before him back.


	25. Puzzle Pieces

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

Gosh, it's been such a long time since I updated this fanfic. So sorry about that. Anyways, hope this chapter makes up for it someway. Also, don't forget to review!

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

**Puzzle Pieces**

* * *

><p><em>.::.<em>

_And, as we let our own light shine,_  
><em>we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.<em>  
><em>As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.<em>

_.::._

* * *

><p>The two of them were panting, like they had just been a part of a triathlon. Beads of sweat coated their forehead, their necks, arms, and backs as they tried to stabilize their ragged breathing. Every part of their bodies were sore, and their heads felt like it was going to crack<strong>—<strong>not to mention that there was a lingering fatigue hovering above them.

There was also a feeling**—**one that was akin to having a sour aftertaste**—**stuck in their mouths.

And, of course, the question: What have we been doing?

"Hehe," Katsuya couldn't help but giving out a weak laugh. He didn't hear anything apart from the groans that were coming from his two companions. "I'm afraid...to ask but...are you two feeling alright now? No...No inexplicable urge to call each other names and fight?"

Katsuya's voice surprised Takuya and Izumi. Seeing him, lying there looking as though he was in pain, surprised them even more. It was like they weren't expecting to see him. Or they had forgotten that he was with them.

"K-Katsuya? What are you**—**? Where are we?" Takuya was the first to speak, and the first to push himself from the ground he had slumped on. Then seeing Izumi who was still struggling to get up, he immediately rushed to her side. "Izumi! A-Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine but...what's going on?" Izumi replied, taking the hand Takuya was offering her. She stumbled at first but Takuya kept her steady, holding her close as if she was going to disappear if he let her go.

"Ahah, you have no idea how happy I am to see you two like that. Not confused but...together." Katsuya's eyes were still a bit dazed, and looking at anything made his head spin, but he still looked at them. A sense of accomplishment welled within him.

Seeing how weak Katsuya was, and that he was not a figment of both of their imagination, the two of them rushed to his side. Their questions momentarily forgotten. Katsuya was more important, after all.

"Katsuya, what's going on?" Takuya asked, repeating Izumi's earlier question.

"Just...doing my job." Katsuya replied. Then, as his eyelids began to droop and he was starting to feel sleepy, he added, "It's...time to wake up now...the old man...He'll explain...everything."

Before either of them could ask anymore, the dull-colored world around them began to disappear. Like someone was using a giant eraser to erase its existence, slowly but effectively. It all happened so fast that neither Takuya nor Izumi were even given a chance to react before they suddenly felt themselves being grabbed by an invisible force and yanked upward.

* * *

><p>Duskmon watched in awe as the silver threads suddenly began to change color, shinning brighter and brighter and looking more and more tangible with each passing second. He didn't have any idea what Katsuya was doing, but whatever it was...it was sure as Hell's Field effective.<p>

"He's doing it," the old man seemed thoroughly impressed, and proud. "Katsuya is fixing his parents' bond...and their memories."

Duskmon could only nod. What could he possibly say that wouldn't end up belittling what Katsuya had done, and the moment before them?

So, all he could do was nod. He couldn't smile nor feel relief until Katsuya, Takuya, and Izumi were up and about.

* * *

><p>The old man watched as Duskmon begrudgingly carried the unconscious Takuya, Izumi, and Katsuya to their rooms. He knew that the Tainted Spirit of Darkness didn't mind helping his friends out but minded the work he was being asked to do. With no other able bodied person around, however, Duskmon had no choice but to comply. After all, he can't possibly expect the old man to carry them himself.<p>

The old man could tell that they were successful. That Katsuya had done his part. But he wasn't sure at what cost. Was Katsuya able to explain everything to Takuya and Izumi? Or had he done something that may have endangered his existence? The only way to find out was when they had awoken.

"Done," Duskmon said with a sigh as he tried to fix the kink on his shoulders. "Now what?"

"We wait. Like we always do." was the old man's reply**—**one that he knew Duskmon didn't want to hear. The Tainted Spirit of Darkness may be patient at times, but he has been waiting for a long time and wanted, more than anything, to act.

Duskmon 'tsked' at the old man's answer, though he didn't say anything about it. Having nothing else to do, he left the old man and went up to his own room.

The old man knew that he was probably going to try to bring Kouichi back. He also knew that Duskmon would unlikely succeed in such an endeavor. Kouichi's salvation did not depend on him. As much as the two of them had bonded, and as close as they were now, Duskmon's bond with him wouldn't be enough. They would need Kouji for that.

_And I will have to send them to the Valkyries' domain for that._

* * *

><p>Takuya's brow was once again furrowed as he stared at the view the balcony was giving him. Night had fallen<strong>—<strong>at least, he thought that it was nightfall, he can't really be sure about the passage of time in that place**—**and had been several hours since he had woken up.

Apart from taking a bite to eat, Takuya hadn't left the room the old man had lent him and he hadn't seen anyone apart from the old man either.

The old man had told him that Izumi was safe and was still sleeping in her own room. When Takuya asked if he could stay by her side, the old man had said that it was probably not a good idea. He also let him know that Katsuya and Duskmon**—**still in Kouichi's body**—**was with them as well.

"So...it wasn't a dream?" Takuya had asked the old man, remembering that he saw Katsuya before he passed out.

"No, that part was, in a way, a dream." The old man replied. "You were at the crossroads of consciousness. Katsuya had led you there in order to bring your memories back."

"I don't understand**—**" Takuya began but was cut off by the old man.

"Now is not the time to search for answers or explanations, Takuya Kanbara. Now is the time to rest." And the old man said nothing more after that.

It was strange. Takuya felt as though hours had only passed since they were attacked. But, at the same time, it also felt like it was a long, long, long time ago. What had he been doing? What did the old man and Katsuya's words meant?

"You're not going to find your answers that way," Duskmon voice surprised him and Takuya whirled around to the shadowed part of his room and saw his crimson-colored eyes there.

"What are you doing here? And why are you still using Kouichi's body?" The tone of Takuya's voice was one that demanded answers.

"Relax, I just came here to tell you that Izumi's awake. The old man doesn't know it yet, though. She asked me to come get you." At that Duskmon shook his head, an annoyed look crossed his face. "This is the last time I'm going to act as a messenger for both of you. Got that?"

Takuya wasn't able to give a reply as Duskmon merged with the shadows and vanished.

_How can he do that using Kouichi's body?_ Takuya couldn't help but wonder. _That shouldn't be possible._

His thoughts about what Duskmon can and can't do, however, didn't last long as his mind immediately went to Izumi. She was looking for him and had made Duskmon her messenger. How she was able to do that, Takuya didn't know as well but he sure as heck couldn't keep the smile from playing on his face.

_I guess I should add that to one of the things that makes her so awesome._ He grinned before he set out to Izumi's room.

* * *

><p>Izumi couldn't believe how forward she was with Duskmon. How she could even think about asking him for a favor. Of course, it was nothing compared to how Duskmon agreed to do an errand for her so unexpectedly. She had thought he was going to shout at her, grumble at how he wasn't a messenger. That would have been easier to swallow rather than him being so...tame.<p>

_He's going to kill me if he finds out I think of him as 'tame'._ She thought to herself, a small smile playing on her lips. _After all, Duskmon prides himself as anything but._

A knock on her door broke her thoughts and, on reflex, she called out, "Come in."

She knew who it was. And it wasn't like they haven't seen each other in a long time but for Izumi, it actually felt that way. Like it had been days, months**—**maybe even years**—**since she last laid her eyes on her boyfriend.

Her breath hitched and she couldn't stop the tears that were welling on her eyes. She didn't know where it came from**—**the feeling of longing**—**but it was strong. Almost like what she had felt when she watched Takuya disappear, being taken by the curse that was placed on him a long, long time ago.

She knew Takuya was probably going to laugh at her, or think her silly but she didn't care. She rushed towards him and enveloped him in a hug.

"I-Izumi**—**" that was all Takuya managed to say before he found Izumi's lips on his.

The desire that mingled with Izumi's kiss was so intense and it caught Takuya by surprise. He stumbled backwards, his back hitting the door he had so gently pushed close mere moments before with an audible 'thump'.

It was like Izumi couldn't get enough of him**—**which, although wasn't something entirely new**—**was still something Izumi rarely does, or shows. Most of the time, she wasn't the one who pounces on him.

The surprise was only momentary before Takuya returned the kiss with just as much passion**—**if not more. His hands trailed upwards, eliciting a shudder from Izumi whose grip on him tightened. He wanted so much more as his kisses trailed the side of her neck and she let out a moan. And he knew she wanted the same thing.

But...

_This isn't the time._ The thought came unbidden and even though he didn't want to stop, Takuya knew he had to.

And he did.

"What's wrong?" Takuya could almost hear the disappointment from Izumi's voice as she asked. He couldn't help the cocky grin that snaked his mouth as Izumi kept herself from asking him why he had stopped.

"Don't tell me this was the reason you asked Duskmon to come and fetch me. He'd be pretty annoyed if that was the case." Takuya hid the fact that he shared the same sentiment as hers. "I know I'm irresistible but I didn't know you were willing to use the Tainted Spirit of Darkness just to call me into your room to make out."

Izumi flushed at his words and playfully slapped his chest. She was reminded of the real reason she wanted to see Takuya.

"N-No, of course not!" she huffed, crossing her arms, pouting.

"So, what is?" Takuya urged her to continue, casually walking to where her bed was and lying on it uninvited.

Izumi frowned but said nothing. Ever since they became intimate with each other, Takuya would always lie down on her bed, whenever he could. No amount of telling him off could keep him from doing so. When she had asked why he kept on sprawling himself on her bed, the young Bearer of the Spirit of Fire merely told his girlfriend that it was because her bed was so soft and comfortable and it was luring him.

She had rolled her eyes at his response.

Izumi sighed, but followed Takuya's example as she sat beside him. Seeing how down and troubled she looked worried Takuya that he asked her what was wrong, the playfulness he had second before dissipating.

"I feel...strange," she began.

"Strange? Strange how?"

Looking at him seriously, Izumi asked, "When was the last time you remember seeing me? Like, before now?"

"What?" Takuya laughed in-between that one word, like he wasn't expecting Izumi to ask him that. "What's with the question?"

"Just give me an answer, Takuya." was Izumi's stern reply. Then she repeated her question, paraphrasing it. "When was the last time you remembered we were together?"

"Um, well, Duskmon got us ready to jump into the portal that would take us here..."

"And?" Izumi urged him.

"We...went through the portal. But, Duskmon must've made a mistake because, instead of ending up at the Dead Sea of Dreams, we got spit out at the park...near Shibuya Station." Takuya went on, creases appeared on his forehead as he remembered the events that had happened prior to their arrival at the old man's palace. He didn't need Izumi to keep urging him after that, as the memory tumbled out of his brain and his mouth. "The same happened to Kouji and the others, but they were sent to another place. We...got together after that to figure out what has happened. And then...and then..."

That was when he remembered. The people that were chasing them. Them running and hiding, thinking of a way to retaliate. Kouji and the others falling. And then one of their assailants turning his attention at Izumi while Takuya found himself pressed down by another.

He remembered the look of horror and realization crossing both his and Izumi's faces when they understood what was going to happen next. When they realized that they would probably die at the hands of their enemies, powerless as they were. And then, Takuya remembered Izumi falling. He watched, helplessly, as a sword was thrust to her heart.

That memory was like a powerful blow to his midriff**—**one that knocked the breath out of him. And he panted at it.

"I...I..."

"Takuya, what is it? What else do you remember?" Even though she asked, Takuya couldn't help but notice the knowing look in her eyes. The expectation that he knew what it was she was waiting for to hear.

"You! I remember the guy, he...he killed you!" Horror filled him with such a realization, and he didn't know what to think after that. All he knew was that Izumi and the others had died. "A-And then he...he killed me. I died, Izumi. We all did!"

Izumi nodded. A grim look on her face.

"I remember that, too. Although, I wasn't really sure what happened to you after I..." She then shook her head. "But, the thing is**—**and I know this will sound strange**—**I feel as though that wasn't the end of it. I know I saw you again after that...but, at the same time...I didn't. I don't know how to explain what it is I'm feeling right now."

"Like, after all that, we haven' seen each other in a long, long time?" Takuya guessed. It was also that strange feeling he was feeling. And, something more. "That's not all, I also feel like I've met you before I actually met you...or I met you again but didn't know it was you. Haha, I'm talking crazy here."

"No, I don't think you're going crazy." Izumi said, placing a hand on Takuya's arm. "I...actually feel the same thing. And**—**"

The words were caught for a moment as a memory suddenly burst inside of her mind. Izumi frowned for a moment before raising an inquisitive eyebrow and saying, "Lunatic? Crazy Brat? Really, Takuya?"

"W-What?" Takuya didn't know where those words came from but he felt as though he had said it. To her. And recently at that. And then, it was his turn to have a memory suddenly resurfaced so fast that he would have been knocked off of his feet if he weren't already sitting. "Immature Jerk?"

Izumi felt guilty and blushed, even though she didn't have to. Wanting to free herself from the confusion, Izumi said, "Maybe it's time we ask Duskmon or Katsuya for an explanation as to why we're remembering things that don't make sense..."

"Or the old man." Added Takuya, lost in thought as well.

"The old man?"

Takuya then explained to Izumi about the old man from the Dead Sea of Dreams**—**the same person who had helped him**—**no, them**—**before. He told her how the whole palace was his abode. As soon as his explanation about the old man was done, he added, "I don't think he would meet with us right now, though. And, I think he has instructed Duskmon not to tell us anything either."

"Why do you say that?" Izumi asked. Surely the man who had helped them before, and who was helping them again, wouldn't mind explaining a thing or two, never mind Duskmon.

"He wants us to rest." Was Takuya's short reply, "He said we were going to need it and won't have much time for it...later."

"But, don't you think we've rested enough?" Izumi wasn't going to let it go. She wanted answers. No, she _needed_ them.

"I don't know," Takuya answered. He glanced at Izumi, "I'm still feeling a bit tired and the old man was pretty adamant about not telling anything until we have fully recuperated. Don't tell me you're not feeling as tired as I am."

"A bit, maybe but**—**"

Takuya chuckled. "Wow, look at you. Usually I'm the impatient one."

Izumi glared at him. "Now isn't the time for jokes, Takuya."

"I know, I know." Takuya replied before pulling Izumi gently towards him and letting both of them fall back on her bed. "Like the old man had said: Now's the time to rest."

Izumi had a lot of objections on her mind but it was like someone was working some kind of magic on her as she soon found herself slowly falling asleep. Her eyelids too heavy to keep her eyes open. Her mind a bit befuddled to think properly. And, before they both knew it, Takuya and Izumi had drifted off.


	26. Reclaiming the Lost

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

Hey, y'all! Nothing really much to say at this point, except that I hope you guys enjoy this update and that I'm holding a poll on my author profile page which I hope you guys will take the time to answer. Anyways, like I said, I hope y'all enjoy and don't forget to review!

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

**Reclaiming the Lost**

* * *

><p><em>.::.<em>

_The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house._  
><em>They may allow us temporarily to beat him at his own game,<em>  
><em>but they will never allow us to bring about genuine change.<em>

_.::._

* * *

><p>Their mouths hung open. For Takuya, the food he had been chewing fell from his open mouth, but he didn't care. And Izumi didn't seem to take notice as she had her mouth open as well, the fork that had been halfway to her mouth falling back down.<p>

The two of them have one thought in common: _He can't be serious!_

The old man had explained what had happened to them and their friends. If that wasn't enough, Duskmon had also taken the time after that to tell them his, Kouichi, Yumi, and Katsuya's tale. And the time of day they decided to divulge all of that information on the two of them had been during breakfast, a week after they had found themselves in the old man's palace.

Despite having gone through so much, the old man and Duskmon's stories just filled them with disbelief. Their tales were surreal and they found it hard to believe any of it, even when the old man had explained that the feeling they were both having**—**the confusion, feeling as though time had just began to move again, fatigue, just to name a few**—**it was all brought about by the Valkyries having severed their ties to one another and sent their consciousness drifting off to another timeline**—**one where they had never met, never gone on an adventure to the Digital World, and such.

"The...Valkyries?" Izumi asked as Takuya tried to swallow the food that remained in his mouth. "Wait, you mean those people that attacked us? Who are they?"

"They are the Evil One's Generals, those whom he had corrupted so much that their minds have nothing but the desire to see his will be done," the old man replied. He was patient with their questions. "They are led by the one called 'Hel'**—**the Evil One's right hand man. Who or what he was before he became known as such, I do not know. What I do know is that their mission was to sever all of your ties to one another, for in doing so, they will sever your connection to the Digital World and the Spirits that you had once bore."

"Why?" Takuya asked. "I remember them calling us 'Pillars of the Digital World', what does that mean any way?"

"Everyone who had once saved that world have been called such and, with that title comes the responsibilities of keeping that world safe. Of course, those who bore them didn't know that they did. Like yourselves, they thought**—**once their adventures were over**—**that they were no longer needed. However, until the death of a Pillar, of the child who once saved the world, and until a replacement is chosen, you**—**and all the others like you**—**are considered Pillars, people who keep the Digital World, and the other worlds like it, safe; people who keep the darkness at bay." the old man paused, letting his words sink in. Then, he added, "Everything changed, however, when you were all attacked. The Valkyries were successful in severing your ties to one another, and to the worlds you were meant to protect, by letting you forget about them and throwing your consciousness into a world where none of it happened. The Pillars of Fire, Wind, Earth, Water, Wood, Ice, Metal, Lightning, and Light have fallen. The only one that remains, and is keeping the Evil One from regaining his full power**—**"

"Is the Pillar of Darkness," Duskmon finished for him. "They never did manage to pierce Kouichi's heart with one of their weapons. They never got to find him because we weren't in the human world, we were stuck here."

The old man nodded. "And I find ourselves lucky because of that. If the Valkyries had managed to do to Kouichi what he had done to all of you, all hope would've been lost**—**and so too would reclaiming the Digital World and restoring the Pillars."

"Okay..." Takuya replied with a frown. It was getting confusing. "If Kouichi is safe**—**if all of us are safe here**—**then why are you still controlling him, Duskmon? No offense, but couldn't you let him use his body once in a while?"

Duskmon looked at the old man who nodded. He didn't want to tell Takuya and Izumi what had happened but, now that they had asked, he didn't have much of a choice. Which, of course, annoyed him.

With a sigh, he said, "Because I can't."

"What do you mean you _can't_?" Izumi asked.

"The Evil One got to him," Duskmon tried to hide his emotions as he spoke. "Kouichi's mind is now possessed by the Evil One. If I let him take over, well...I'm pretty sure he'd cause a lot of trouble. More than I would, anyway."

"You've got to be kidding me," Takuya was stunned. He then glared at Duskmon, "You said you were going to keep him safe!"

"I did, and I am keeping him safe. From himself. From everything." Duskmon argued. "I don't know how but when we were trying to rescue Yumi, I got kicked out of his consciousness and into...someplace else. I wouldn't have been able to get back to him if Katsuya hadn't helped. It wasn't my fault I was dragged away. Besides, I did a way better job at it than either of your Digi-Spirits."

_What did he just say? _A voice suddenly shouted in Takuya's mind. It was angry...and it sounded like it was his voice, except, older and fiercer.

"Where were Agunimon and Kazemon when you were facing off against the Valkyries? They could've helped you, you know. They could have fought with you, if they had just tried to contact you. But, no. The Spirits of the 'Ancient Ten', just watched." Duskmon went on.

_We did not just watch! There was nothing we could've done._ There was a voice in Izumi's head, and she knew it wasn't just her thoughts being vocalized. No, it was different but she didn't know what it was.

"Even now," Duskmon went on, not really knowing or caring what was going on inside of Takuya and Izumi's consciousness, of what his words were doing. "those two are only watching. They could've been the one to explain all of these things to you, you know? They've heard about it before. But, it seems that all they are really good at are waiting and watching, and letting you guys do all the work. It's a good thing I'm not one of them anymore."

_Bastard. _That voice in Takuya's head growled.

The one in Izumi's, however, wasn't quite content with just saying a word or two._ That's it! I've had enough of him! Izumi, I'll borrow your body for a bit._

"H-Huh?" was all Izumi managed to say before she felt her consciousness being pushed aside. What the**—**!?

Duskmon grinned as he felt the change. He was expecting one of them to make a move, although, he had thought Agunimon would make the first one.

"I've had enough of you, Duskmon!" Takuya was surprised when Izumi suddenly slammed her hands on the table, shouting and glaring at Duskmon like she was a girl possessed. Of course, Takuya wasn't far from the truth, he just didn't know it...yet. "You speak as though you know better than we do!"

"I-Izumi?" Takuya gaped at his girlfriend. "W-What's gotten into you?"

"Watching? You think that's all we did? We _saved_ the Digital World, and the human world! We _stopped_ Chronosmon even!" Kazemon went on as dangerous winds began blowing inside of the dining area. "We would've come to the _Spirit Shinker's_ aid if we could, but we can't. Because, unlike you, we aren't trapped inside a human's body!"

"So, that's the excuse you have found for yourselves now, O Great Spirit of the Wind?" Duskmon's tone was mocking. Despite how dangerous the conversation might turn, however, the old man merely watched and let Duskmon continue on with his taunts. "Then tell me, how did you manage to gain control of Izumi's body? How did Agunimon—who I'm pretty sure is listening in right now—gain control of Takuya's? It has nothing to do with being 'stuck'."

That made Kazemon step back from Duskmon. She knew what he said was true, and she had no way of answering him. Duskmon took this as a small victory in his part, showing the Digi-Spirits that he knew more than them, unlike how they like to think.

"So, tell me, do you have any other reason for _not_ coming to their aid when they needed you the most?" Duskmon asked, daring Kazemon to speak. "I may be a 'Tainted Spirit', but unlike you I tried to help and I am still helping, even though I really don't have to."

Silence filled the room after that with Takuya still confused as to what was happening and why Duskmon was calling Izumi, 'Kazemon'. All the while Duskmon and Kazemon were glaring daggers at each other.

"Um, can anyone explain what's happening?" Takuya finally asked when no one spoke.

"Duskmon is annoyed with the way the Ancient Ten chose not to help out while you guys were in trouble and they waited instead when everything's going to hell to make their move," Katsuya's answer surprised everyone who wasn't expecting to see him out of his room.

"Katsuya, shouldn't you be resting?" the old man asked as Katsuya limped his way over to the table. "What you had gone through was quite taxing. You shouldn't force yourself to move."

"I've rested enough, old man, and I can't afford to rest some more. Yumi needs me." Katsuya replied. Then he shook his head and looked at Duskmon and added, "She needs _us_."

Duskmon nodded. Turning towards the old man, he said, "There you have it, old man. So now that these two are up to speed with what has happened, don't you think it's time we try to rescue Yumi again?"

The old man sighed and closed his eyes as Kazemon returned to her seat and crossed her legs, watching the scene unfold before her. Takuya was, of course, still confused as he looked from his girlfriend to Duskmon, then to Katsuya and to the old man, waiting for anyone to explain to him what was going on.

"I am afraid Yumi's rescue would have to wait." The old man replied, choosing his words carefully. "We have something of equal importance to deal with first."

"What do you mean?" It was easy to note that the old man's answer was not what Katsuya was expecting. At all. "We already have Takuya and Izumi here now. What more could we possible deal with that's just as important as rescuing my sister?"

Duskmon wanted to correct Katsuya, out of habit, that the Yumi they were planning to rescue was no longer her sister, but decided against it.

"I could name a dozen. For instance, Takuya and Izumi still have to learn to fight and tap into the powers of their Digi-Spirits. Even if you have the Bearer of the Spirits of Fire and Wind, the four of you alone would not be able to do anything against the Valkyries." The old man calmly answered. "And then, of course, we still have to find a way to rescue the other _Spirit Shinkers_ without fighting against the Valkyries. You will need their help to rescue Yumi and seal the Evil One back up."

"Do you know where the others are then?" Takuya asked.

A nod. "Einherjar. The Palace of the Valkyries."

* * *

><p>How to save the others without being seen and sensed by the Valkyries in their own headquarters was the question that hung heavily in the old man's palace. Had Duskmon, Katsuya, Takuya, and Izumi all been at the peak of their powers, the old man wouldn't have hesitated to send them fighting their way through the Einherjar. But, as they were now, he knew that would be a suicide not only for them but for the fate of the world that was precariously hanging on.<p>

Though time was, indeed, running out, the old man knew the dangers of venturing into the Einherjar unprepared and so he had made the decision of having the four teenagers with him undergo training—one that was grueling and dangerous.

Despite the dangers, the old man believed that it wasn't tantamount to what Takuya and the others would face should they try to break the other _Spirit Shinkers_ out of their own prison without understanding the power that they now had access to. If they tried, the only one of them who could probably survive long enough to flee would be Duskmon. And that was _if_ Duskmon chose to run and not fight to the death.

But to train them would require a great deal from the old man. After all, it wasn't going to be an ordinary training session held in his palace. No, it was far more than that.

"But we do not have much of a choice, do we?" He muttered the question to no one in particular. In response, a gentle breeze blew around him making the crystal roses dance and the lights from them glitter brightly. "They must get stronger than they are now. Much, much stronger."

* * *

><p>"Okay, what the heck was that?" Takuya couldn't take not knowing what had just happened any more as he trailed after Duskmon while Izumi helped Katsuya back to his room. "What's with the shouting match with Izumi?"<p>

"I wasn't arguing with your girlfriend, Takuya," Duskmon replied, though he didn't stop nor looked at him when he spoke. "I was arguing, at getting my point across, to Kazemon and Agunimon."

"What? What are you talking about? Neither Kazemon nor Agunimon was there when you and Izumi started arguing."

"So you would think," Duskmon laughed darkly. "But they are there. Both of them. Inside you and Izumi. They were the ones who brought you here, after all, and enabled Katsuya to do what he did."

Once again, Takuya asked, "What?" as he stopped dead on his tracks.

It was at that point that a very irked Duskmon turned to face Takuya, stopping in his tracks as well. "It's exactly as you heard me say. Agunimon is making himself comfortable inside you while Kazemon is making a home for herself inside Izumi. Not just their psyche either. I meant that as spirits. So you can say that they're possessing both of you just like I am doing with Kouichi."

"You've got to be kidding me," Takuya frowned, looking at Duskmon. He was uncertain whether to believe the Tainted Spirit of Darkness.

"Whatever," Duskmon turned around. He was past his limit now and it was all he could do to hold a conversation with Takuya. Of course, he wasn't going to tell anyone that. "Look, these things I'm telling you, Agunimon should be the explaining. He's your Digi-Spirit. He's supposed to watch over you now. So, why don't you try to get in touch with him?"

Before Takuya could say anything, before he could even open his mouth, Duskmon had disappeared, the shadows taking him to who knows where leaving Takuya to ponder his words and to wonder, once again, just how Duskmon was able to do that when he was not in his original body.


	27. Strength

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic **

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

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><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

**Strength**

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><p><em>.::.<em>

_So let it be in God's own might  
>we grid us for the coming fight;<br>And strong in Him whose cause is ours  
>in conflict with unholy powers;<br>We grasp the weapons he has given,—  
>The Light, and Truth, and Love of Heaven<em>

_.::._

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><p>The day began way too early for Duskmon'. As clichéd as it sound, the Tainted Spirit of Darkness much preferred the day's end rather than its beginning. It wasn't because of what he stood for. There was more to it than that.<p>

There was something in the darkness of the night that he found beautiful, poetic even. The other spirits had thought him weird because of that, and associated it to him being evil. They couldn't see what he saw.

So when the old man came to wake him up—though in truth, he never really slept—he was not too happy about it. He was equally unhappy about the place where the old man had dragged him, Katsuya, Takuya and Izumi to.

It was a room he had never been, but one where he would rather the ground open up and swallow him than go there again. It was so huge and its walls and ceilings painted so white and so bright that it hurt his eyes. Being devoid of any furniture only made it that much larger.

The old man, who had been waiting for them, stood in the middle of the room, his hands behind his back. He did not move nor welcomed them when they arrived. He merely watched and waited.

Their footsteps echoed with each step they took and they stopped when they were in front of him. Even then, the old man didn't speak and they all just stood there, like idiots, not knowing what to do. Duskmon forced himself to be patient, but asking for the Tainted Spirit of Darkness to be patient was like asking for the sky to turn pink or the earth to rotate counter-clockwise. It was impossible.

"Alright, old man, we're here." Duskmon said. "What's this all about?"

The old man didn't answer, which only served to tick Duskmon off. Of course, the others were only confused and groggy. None of them were used to waking up early and all three of them looked as though they were only half-awake.

"Come on, old man. Unlike you, we don't have all day—or all millennia," Duskmon went on, almost growling.

The old man opened his eyes, and looked at Duskmon so seriously and intently that unnerved the Tainted Spirit. "Not everything can be rushed, Duskmon. Some things take time to grow."

"What does time and growing have to do with us being here?" Katsuya spoke, by the look on Takuya and Izumi's faces as sleep slowly left them, he wasn't the only one who didn't understand what the old man meant. "You're not going to ask us to start a garden of crystal roses here, are you?"

Closing his eyes, the old man replied. "No. The crystal roses are not the ones we are going to develop, nurture, and cultivate. It is your powers and connection to the realm of spirits—your connection with the Ancient Ten that would allow you to use them as Kouichi had, unwittingly, learned to do."

"Why do I have to be here, then? Connecting with the spirit realm and with the Ancient Ten is useless to me." Duskmon asked. "Takuya and Izumi don't need to learn to connect to the realm of spirits either. Agunimon and Kazemon are already residing within them making whatever you had planned pointless."

"One cannot master anything without first learning the basics," the old man merely replied. Then he made some gestures and hand signals that were so fast and vague that it was hard to decipher what they were or what he was really doing.

_What is he planning to do?_ Takuya once again heard that voice in his head.

Likewise, Izumi was also hearing a voice in _her_ head, _How does he intend to teach the basic when we're already here?_

No sooner had they asked those questions were the spirit and consciousness of both Agunimon and Kazemon found themselves being pulled away—like there was something sucking them from Takuya and Izumi's bodies.

Unlike the Spirits of Fire and Wind, however, Takuya and Izumi merely felt a discomfort, like a kink in their shoulders and a quick feeling of nausea. It happened so quickly and ended just as fast, like a blink of an eye.

"W-What just happened?" Izumi asked as she clutched her head. "For a moment there, I really thought I was going to throw up."

Duskmon glanced at both Takuya and Izumi, and he immediately knew what has happened, though he had no idea _how_.

"Agunimon and Kazemon are gone," he said with a frown. At first he was mistaken, but no matter how much he concentrated and tried to feel them, they were no longer inside or around the two _Spirit Shinkers_. This, of course, shook him a little bit. "H-How are they gone."

Then it occurred to him that the old man had something to do with it and he quickly turned around and said, "What did _you_ do, old man?"

"A simple _trick_," was all the old man said before he turned around and walked away. The ground then began to shake and from the ground where the old man had been standing, an entrance to an underground cave appeared.

Duskmon, Takuya, Izumi, and Katsuya all looked at the cave entrance in shock. Katsuya—despite being quite familiar with the old man and his abilities—was at a loss for words as well. He knew the old man was powerful, but he had never seen the old man do something like pulling the Digi-Spirits away or summoning an earthquake and calling forth an underground cave. When they looked over at the old man, ready to fire one question after another, the old man was gone.

"H-Hey, where did the old man go?" Takuya asked, suddenly frightened.

"He was just there a second ago!" Izumi felt the same fear that Takuya was feeling.

Even though the old man had stated—and proved by taking them in and helping them—that he was an ally, they still couldn't help but feel powerless before him, especially since they're truly beginning to realize he _wasn't_ human. Not that they thought he was. They seem to just forget when they are around him.

"Enter the cave," the voice of the old man echoed around them. "Once you do, your training will begin. And that includes even you, Duskmon. There are some things _you _need to learn."

Duskmon raised an eyebrow, his arms crossed. _What could you possibly teach me, old man, that I don't know?_

Despite being a proud Digimon and Digi-Spirit, however, Duskmon was—at times when he permit himself—curious. He was one never to let a challenge go unanswered, whether it was to prove himself or to show the world his prowess. And at that time, regardless of what his first thoughts were, he took the old man's words as a challenge to prove him wrong; to let the old man know that there was _nothing_ more he—or anyone, for that matter—could teach him.

And so, he was the first to take a step towards the cave's entrance.

"Duskmon? Wait!" Takuya called out just as Duskmon was about to enter.

But Duskmon didn't stop to hear what Takuya has to say. The next to enter the cave was Katsuya who didn't fear what the old man had up his sleeves but was actually quite curious as to what he could learn.

_I doubt I'd be able to use Agunimon…and Kazemon is _definitely_ out of the picture, that would just too weird. I wonder what I could do…what could the old man possibly want to teach me that I could use?_

"You're going too, Katsuya?" Izumi asked, genuinely worried for Katsuya's sake believing that he was as powerless as they were. "What if it's dangerous?"

"You seem to have forgotten, Izumi," Katsuya smiled, and then he stretched out both of his hands and summoned the Gale and Flame Swords. "I can defend myself. Don't worry about me. Besides, I doubt the old man would do something that would endanger all of our lives…not when we're needed to keep Armageddon from happening."

And then, turning around, Katsuya ran towards the entrance saying, "See you two on the other side!"

For a moment, neither Takuya nor Izumi knew what to do. And then, Takuya shook his head and started to laugh. Izumi looked at him, frowning.

"Who would have thought, huh?" Takuya shook his head, his hands on his hips and a small grin on his face. "Who would have thought that I'd be hesitating when it comes to something like _this_?" He then looked at Izumi and asked, "Well, shall we?"

Izumi nodded, "Let's find out how we can help Kouji and the others…and how we can go home."

* * *

><p><em>Do the old man really think he can intimidate me with this?<em> Duskmon couldn't keep himself from thinking. _I'm the Tainted Spirit of _Darkness_. I'm not afraid of the dark._

'_That doesn't mean you're not afraid of what lies beyond the darkness,_' came a voice. It spoke so suddenly and so clearly that it was impossible to miss its words. '_Admit it, you were frightened when your powers didn't work on the shadows the Evil One had conjured and used to take Yumi away. You were afraid of what might happen to you when you found yourself separated from Kouichi. _And_ you're scared that you failed him…that you can't bring him back to normal._'

"Who's there?" Duskmon shouted, angered by the words spoken to him. "I am Duskmon! I am the Tainted Spirit of Darkness! I fear _nothing_!"

'_Everyone's afraid of _something_,_' the voice argued. It spoke calmly, which only served to irk Duskmon even more. '_And just because you're a 'Tainted Spirit' whose elemental affinity is darkness, doesn't make you immune to fear. And it doesn't mean you're the lord of it, as well._'

"What do you know?" Duskmon looked around him. He strained his eyes trying to dispel the darkness. He was unable to see beyond it, however…which was a first.

'_Oh, I know all about you._' The voice replied. It sounded as though whomever the voice belonged to was toying with him. In a show of power and his capability to defend himself, Duskmon summoned his twin swords, thinking that perhaps it would keep the voice from mocking him. But the voice forged on. '_I know because I know about Ancient Sphinxmon. I was there when he gave you _your_ mission._'

"Impossible!" Duskmon bellowed, he tightened his grip on both of his swords. "_I_ was the only one there."

'_You sure are quick to forget, Duskmon._' Said the voice before he made himself visible to the Tainted Spirit.

"Loweemon," Duskmon growled, his eyes narrowing. "I should have known it was you."

'_But you didn't. Your mind quickly jumped from one thing to another, trying to figure out if an enemy overheard your—_our_ conversation—with Ancient Sphinxmon. Not once did you even wonder for a moment that perhaps _I_ was the one talking to you._'

"So, what is it that you want? Do you want to fight me?" Duskmon asked. When Loweemon looked at him confused, he explained, "I could think of no other reason why you would say those things to me unless you have the desire to forfeit your life right here and now."

Loweemon sighed and looked at Duskmon, pitying him. Duskmon, however, failed to notice the look his counterpart was giving him. "And here I thought you've changed. No, I didn't come here to fight. I came here to help you. To help Kouichi."

Duskmon snorted. "And what makes you think I would want _your_ help?"

"Will you drop the act, Duskmon?" Loweemon was exasperated. He knew Duskmon understood how little time they had left before the Evil One finally absorbs all the energy he needed to rise. "We don't have time for bickering. And it isn't a matter of _wanting_ my help. It's that you _need_ it. I had hoped you understood that now that you came here of your own accord."

"Why? Where are we?"

Loweemon frowned at the question but still chose to answer it. He took one step to the side, and the moment he did, purple-colored flames sprouted and a bit of the darkness was pushed back. As the impossibly thick darkness receded, Duskmon recognized where they were.

It was a large cavern with walls filled with murals that depicted the creation of the world—a story Duskmon knew all too well. Pillars, intricately designed and depicting the various personages of the Ancient Spirits held the ceiling aloft. They were standing at the middle of that cavern, surrounded by water, next to a large stone brazier, its mouth decorated with ten different colored gems that throbbed faintly with light.

"This is…" Duskmon breathed out, awed that he was standing there yet again, "the Ancients' Ritual Chambers."

Loweemon nodded, "How long has it been since you were physically here, Duskmon?"

Duskmon didn't need to think to answer that. He knew just how long. It had been a thousands of years since the Spirit of Darkness was cleaved in half; thousands of years since he and Loweemon stood face-to-face not as ethereal and intangible spirits.

Loweemon, for his part, didn't press Duskmon to answer. He understood that his message and his intention for asking that question had been received by his darker counterpart.

"How did the old man managed to achieve this feat?" Duskmon muttered under his breath.

"What old man? You've said something about an old man before." Loweemon asked, hearing Duskmon's words without even trying.

"The old man who took us in and had been helping us while we're in the Dead Sea of Dreams," Duskmon replied. "He's the one who brought me here with a challenge and the promise that he'll be able to teach me something."

"Oh _that_ old man." Loweemon remembered Duskmon talking about that old man before. But he frowned, he was just as confused as the Tainted Spirit. "Wait, I know that guy is no ordinary old man, but there's no way he would've been able to bring you here…Besides, I heard you calling out for me. That's why I was here when you arrived."

"I know. But he did. And he had a purpose, I just don't know what it is yet." Duskmon retorted. _And why here, at the Ritual Chamber, of all places? With _him_? Don't tell me what the old man wanted me to learn has something to do with Loweemon, too._

* * *

><p>"Izumi!" Takuya shouted as he searched for his girlfriend. "Where are you?"<p>

The two of them had entered the cave together, but the moment they stepped foot inside, Takuya found his hands holding onto nothing but air. Izumi was gone. And he had been searching for her ever since.

His search, however, had proved to be filled with trials. Not only was the cave as dark as he thought it would be, its layout was also confusing. Takuya was certain he had been going in nothing but circles. It aggravated him. Even though he knew that Izumi was a very strong and capable woman, he also knew that, without the Digi-Spirits, no amount of strength can help them overcome enemies in the world they were now in.

_If something happens to her, I'm going to kill that old man_, Takuya thought to himself. He didn't know how much he meant that threat or if he could really do any harm against the mysterious old man.

Takuya continued on. Whether he was going the right way or not, he didn't know and could only hope that it would bring him to where Izumi was.

Deeper and deeper into the cave he went. A while later, Takuya began to sweat that he soon began to discard his shirt to keep himself cool. He didn't know if it was because of his trek but his breathing soon became labored, as if there was so little oxygen. It was only when he got to the end of the corridor he was in that he realized why he was feeling that way.

A pool of magma greeted Takuya at the large cavern where the corridor he had taken led. Takuya knew that the heat should have been unbearable, being that close to the molten liquid, but for some reason he was only feeling a slight discomfort. The heat from the magma didn't scourge his skin, but it did make it hard to breathe and made him all the sweatier. Apart from that, if Takuya hadn't known any better, he would have just thought of it as an illusion.

But the magma before him was no illusion, if the sulfuric scent was any indication of it and the fact that when he tried to test the magma out using a piece of wood he found lying around, the wood disintegrated even before it touched the liquid.

"Now what?" Takuya wondered, trying his best to minimize the amount of oxygen he was breathing. "I'm pretty sure this is the only place I could go."

And it was. Apart from the dead ends and the circular path he had taken before, there was no other place he would have ended up in. Cocking his head to the side, Takuya wondered if he was being given a test.

_Am I supposed to find a way to cross this magma and get to the other side?_ He wondered. _Or, is there some kind of hidden puzzle here, like those role-playing games Shinya and I used to play together? Maybe there's a lever somewhere that would lower a bridge, or am I the one who's supposed to _make_ that bridge? What, _exactly_, am I supposed to be doing here?_

Takuya didn't like the thought of having to think about how to solve this particular conundrum. He wasn't good with puzzles that involved too much thinking. Sure, he had solved quite a number of problems before, but most of the time he just barrels through with no plan or thought.

But he couldn't just charge through. Not this time.

His eyes sought for anything that was out of place; anything to help him get across—for that was what he decided he needed to do. But there was nothing of use, nothing to hold off against the magma's intolerable heat.

"If only I had the Digi-Spirit of Fire with me and can Digivolve, this would be a piece of cake," Takuya sighed. "Agunimon can easily pass through here without a problem."

He retreated back to the entrance of that magma-filled cavern, where the heat was lest suffocating. Slumping down, he began to think of a solution to his current predicament. Takuya's mind, however, soon ended up wandering. It was at that point that he remember the argument Duskmon had with Izumi—or, more specifically, the words he had said were meant for Kazemon and Agunimon.

Plus, there were the words of the old man Takuya remembered. About learning the basics. Whatever that meant, Takuya was certain he would find inside the cave where he now was. But, Takuya would rather he found Izumi first, more than anything else.

He chuckled, remembering how easy it had been to Digivolve. He put his hands before him and balled them into a fist, imagining the Digi-code of the Spirit of Fire enveloping it as it used to.

A small smile played on his lips as he held his other hand aloft and moved the balled fist over it, muttering, "Digi-Spirit, Evolution!"

He closed his eyes trying to remember the feeling—the surge of power—he always got when he transformed into Agunimon. It was like his whole body was heating up and there was something within him clawing to get out.

When Takuya opened his eyes, he was panting. The feeling he had remembered had been pulled from his memories and he really did feel like his whole body was going to burst into flames; that something was trying to get out from within him. It was painful. He wanted to throw up. It was all he could do to keep himself from screaming.

"What's…g-going in?" Takuya sputtered as he fell to the ground.

* * *

><p>Agunimon could feel that the Bearer of the Spirit of Fire was in trouble. Whatever the old man did had placed Takuya in such a predicament that he wanted out. He could tell the young man was distraught, though for what exact reason, Agunimon didn't know.<p>

He was somewhere and, at the same time, nowhere. He didn't really know how to make of it, nor how to explain it. Whatever the old man did to him and Kazemon, it had made it impossible for him to tell where he was.

For some reason, Agunimon could not sense nor contact the Spirit of Wind as well. There was something holding them both back; something keeping them at bay from one another—a feeling that he last felt the first time Takuya and Izumi had fought against one another; the first time they raised their weapons against each other.

"I hope it hasn't come to that again," Agunimon muttered, closing his eyes and crossing his arms as he tried to pinpoint what was going on with Takuya.

He could feel Takuya's emotions in small waves. The most pressing of his thoughts revolved around Izumi, which Agunimon couldn't help but shake his head on and thought, '_Naturally_,'. The next thought and feeling that slammed itself into the Digi-Spirit of Fire, however, was confusion and panic.

And then came the words, barely a whisper, that Agunimon had never heard before—nor even thought of hearing.

"Agunimon…help…me."

* * *

><p>The old man watched from his usual perch, a small smile playing on his lips. He looked contented. He was contented. Although, he was also a bit surprised.<p>

He had never thought that the first person to learn the first lesson he intended to teach them would be Takuya Kanbara, the brash young man who would take on the whole world by himself if he needed to. He had expected it to be Izumi, or perhaps Katsuya. But no, this proved to be a surprise, albeit a welcoming one.

He then turned his attention to Duskmon, wondering how long it would take the Tainted Spirit to realize what he wanted him to learn—which was a bit different from the others. Duskmon was, after all different. He was a Digimon trapped within a human's body.

_Trapped even though Kouichi had welcomed him_. The old man sighed. _And because of that, Loweemon's powers had also weakened, and the Pillar of Darkness' hold on the world destabilized along with it._

That was one of the many reasons why the Evil One's powers had seeped out in the first place.

_Duskmon has to learn. He has to accept the facts. And Loweemon has to learn the same lessons as well. The two of them have to come to an understanding, otherwise, even if they manage to rescue the Lost Ones, the Evil One will still have the upper hand._

He knew he should tackle these one at a time, but time was of the essence. They needed to hurry.


	28. Contest Contrast

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic **

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

Early update for this fanfic, too! Don't worry, like my Rise of the Guardian fanfic, I plan on updating both this and that fanfic again this week. Not so sure about my Daniel X fanfic, though. Judging from the current results of the poll, people would be happy if I updated this and RotG more frequently than just once-a-week. So, yeah...there's going to be a shift in updates.

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Dream on; Fly on!

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

**Contest; Contrast**

* * *

><p><em>.::.<em>

_Of several colors, all equally white,_

_that will look whitest which is against the darkest background._

_And black will look intensest against the whitest background._

_And red will look most vivid against the yellowest background;_

_And the same is the case with all colours when surrounded by their strongest contrast._

_.::._

* * *

><p>Izumi had no idea how she ended up at that place; how a cave entrance could bring her, not to the insides of a cave, but to the top of a plateau. Perhaps if it had been an exit, she would've understood. Her mind could've put the pieces together and made some form of logical explanation. But there was no logic behind the things that had been happening to her as of late.<p>

One could simply put it as 'magic'. Izumi, on the other hand, thought nothing about it was magical. Not when she had been constantly put in danger and the peace they have fought so hard to achieve was suddenly snatched from right under their noses.

There's also the fact that she and her boyfriend had once again been dragged into another battle.

_Why couldn't they just leave us alone? Why can't they just find someone else to clean this mess up this time?_

Despite asking those questions, Izumi knew that no one could provide her with the answers and she was just being whinny. One can't blame her, though. She was tired.

It didn't help that the path she was taking had strong winds blowing that made it difficult for her to move. She was exerting a lot of effort on an otherwise effortless trek. It was frustrating.

Long ago, she would've been able to calm the winds; use them to her advantage. She wouldn't need to worry about strong gusts or the wind lashing at her. She had the Digi-Spirit of Wind at her disposal. But those were bygone days, and despite what Duskmon had insinuated—despite what the old man had hinted—there was no way to bring them back. She may have been the Bearer of the Spirit of Wind, but that was no more. That was all in the past.

_I guess the reason I'm here is to develop some new kind of power. Or to find one._ Izumi thought to herself. _I can't use the Digi-Spirit of Wind anymore. _

Her thoughts sounded bitter. She _was_ bitter. She couldn't help it. Somehow, Duskmon words made sense, even if it wasn't directed at her.

"They could have helped if they wanted to," he had said. "They chose _not_ to help."

All Izumi could ask in response was: _Why?_ What had kept the Spirit of Wind from helping? She didn't know and, frankly, she didn't think she would ever know.

Gritting her teeth and forging onward—that was all Izumi could do. She didn't have a choice, which is pretty much the story of her life right now.

_What, exactly, am I doing here?_ Izumi wondered as she crouched near a large boulder, hoping the protruding rock would give her cover as she rested. She was half-way there. At least, she hoped she was. As for where 'there' was, Izumi didn't really know. _Where is Takuya? Katsuya? I'll be happy even if it's Duskmon here with me. What did the old man _do_? Why did he bring me here? There has to be a _million _places I could have ended up in. Why here?_

Questions popped up as soon as she took that little bit of reprieve. And they continued to come, like a heavy torrential rain.

Izumi closed her eyes. She wanted to cry at her predicament, but the tears wouldn't come. The wind wouldn't let her.

* * *

><p>"So much for going through this with them, I guess," Katsuya muttered to himself.<p>

He had searched high and low. He had left no stone unturned, no nook or cranny left uninspected. There was simply no other signs of human life other than himself. He was alone, near the ravines that marked the boundary of the old man's palace.

Despite ending up at a familiar location, Katsuya found that no matter what route he took to get to the old man's palace once again, he was unable to get close. One step he took towards the palace, took him three steps back. It was confusing and told him he was sealed in a perpetual loop of the place.

Katsuya gripped the sword in his hand tighter. His eyes scanned his surroundings once more, ever so carefully. He might not be alone, but a training would not be a training without some form of challenge he needed to overcome.

_And knowing the old man, this isn't going to be a walk in the park._ Katsuya thought. _Unless that park is laden with traps or monsters, or something._

No matter where he looked however, he was still alone. And there was no sign of whatever the old man had wanted him to do—or to learn.

"What? Are you trying to teach me about patience, old man?" Katsuya asked, he found the idea funny.

Time might be important right now, as they were running out of time against the Evil One, but in the broader sense of it, time had no hold on him. He was already beyond the hands of time. He didn't exist, and as far as he knows—after what had happened with Chronosmon—he was _never_ going to exist. He was forever bound as a denizen of the Dead Sea of Dreams. Just like the old man.

The old man didn't answer. Katsuya didn't expect him to. So the young man sighed. As he was about to resign himself into looking around again, he caught something from his peripheral vision. A movement.

Katsuya quickly turned around, battle ready, to the direction of where he saw movement. He bolted, as quickly as he could. This was the chance Katsuya was waiting for.

With single-minded determination, Katsuya readied himself to attack. He caught up with his target and, without thinking-twice, attacked. It didn't enter his mind that it could be a friend—Takuya, Izumi, or Duskmon—after all, if it were them, they wouldn't be sneaking around.

His blade, however, was met with resistance as the shadowy figure called forth its own weapon. As their swords locked in battle, Katsuya saw whom he was facing.

For a moment, he was confused. He thought there must be some kind of mistake. He thought he might have lost consciousness somewhere or had fallen asleep, for there was no way what he was seeing could be true. There was _absolutely_ no way it could be anything _but_ a dream.

Because, no matter how he looked at it, facing himself in battle was just too _crazy_ to be real.

And that was whom he was fighting: Himself.

* * *

><p>Izumi found herself in front of another cave entrance. This one felt even more ominous than the one the old man had conjured out of thin air. She didn't know if she felt that way because she was now facing it alone or if she really did felt something was wrong about the place.<p>

But, as there was no other place she could go, Izumi felt that she was meant to enter the cave—even if she really didn't want to.

Slowly, and ever so carefully, Izumi placed one foot in front of the other and moved onwards. The moment she stepped through the entrance however, she was swallowed up by darkness.

"What's going on?" Izumi panicked. She tried to run back, but the cave's entrance had vanished. She was stuck.

When she tried to feel around for the cave's walls to try to find her way back, she touched nothing but wind. The walls had vanished, just like the entrance.

_This…This is bad. _Very _bad._ Izumi thought as she strained her eyes but only saw nothing but wispy darkness.

Her heart pounded inside of her chest. Under normal circumstances, she didn't fear the darkness knowing that there was nothing that could harm her there. But Izumi knew there was _nothing_ normal about the darkness that surrounded her. It felt _alive_.

Closing her eyes, Izumi willed herself to calm down; forced herself to breathe evenly. She wasn't going to cry. She was stronger than the fear she was feeling—at least, that's what she told herself.

But fear has a way of creeping up at you and making you think that things are much worse than they really were. When Izumi opened her eyes, she didn't feel less afraid. The darkness was as real as the fear she felt and she didn't know what she was supposed to do. She didn't know what the old man _wanted _her to do, or learn.

Just then, she was assaulted with memories of the past she had buried; the person she _used _to be, before the Digital World, before the adventures, before meeting and falling in love with Takuya. The memories pushed her back, as if they were some tangible being.

She didn't want to remember them. She had been a different person back then—a person she never wanted to be like again; someone who shut the world out and didn't go out of her way to make friends. She viewed herself as different and had closed her mind off that people wouldn't mind that she grew up somewhere far away or that they would genuinely want to be friends with her. She accepted being thought of as cold, and distant. She accepted being difficult—as most of her classmates back then thought her as.

The darkness and those memories constricted her. It made it hard for her to breathe, which made it equally hard for her to think clearly. She wanted scream, to cry, to curl up into a ball and rock herself back and forth. Fear does that, after all. She wanted someone to help her; to save her. She _needed_ Takuya.

_Takuya._ Izumi thought and whimpered again. _Where are you?_

The fear kept her from noticing a gentle tug; a soft whisper. She wasn't alone. She felt someone caressing her. Wintriness wasn't the only thing she felt in that dark void, there was also warmth. A familiar warmth.

'_It's okay, Izumi…_' she heard a voice. It sounded so familiar, but her thoughts were muddled and she couldn't remember who owned that voice. '_I'm here…_'

The voice had a playful quality to it as it spoke, but that wasn't all. It also had dangerous undertones, as if the owner's mood was a fickle thing, like one moment calm and collected, the next turbulent; storm-like.

'_You're stronger than this, Izumi Orimoto._' The voice went on, speaking as though the owner knew the whimpering young woman trapped in the darkness of the old man's design. '_Rise up! Stand on your two feet like you've done so in the past. You can do it._'

But Izumi was too afraid to do so. She was lost and she didn't know if she could still find her way back. She needed someone to rescue her.

'_You don't need to depend on anyone for this. This is your trial, you have to overcome it yourself,_' the voice had power as it spoke, its voice echoing all around Izumi. '_Can't you see? This was the reason why we thought it best to leave you and the others alone: so you could continue to stand on your two feet, overcoming everything on your own; so you wouldn't depend on us—on _our_ powers—too much. Now…now you have to show me that you have that capability still._'

_It's not that easy!_ Izumi sobbed. _This…_this_ is _different._ This is beyond us. Being a strong person is fine, but when we're forced to endure something like this; when we're forced to face something that we can't handle on our own, there's no way we wouldn't need help._

_I _know_ I'm stronger than this…I know that…but…I am only human. I can only do so much when I'm buffeted by things that are paranormal and supernatural in nature. I _need _help._

As those thoughts entered Izumi's mind, she realized that all of them were true. She had shed that cold attitude and had made friends, she had become a strong person—both in will and character—but despite all of that, the world that kept on pulling her in one form of danger or another, asking for her help, seem to forget that she was just an ordinary human.

The first time had been fine. It was her own volition. She decided she wanted to go on an adventure. She had embraced that.

The second time, she was practically dragged back and left with no choice, not when Takuya's life—and her future—rested on the balance. Still, she regained her old powers and obtained new ones that helped her get through.

The third time? It was different. She wasn't just left with no choice, but she was also left powerless to fix what had been broken. She wasn't equipped to deal with what was going on. _All _of them _weren't_ equipped for it.

And for the first time, Izumi really understood where Duskmon was coming from. She felt the same way as he did. She was angry. Angry at the other spirits—and most of all, at the Spirit of Wind—for leaving her to fend for herself when, as Duskmon had implied, they could have helped.

Soon the tears stop coming and the fear ebbed away, replaced by something else: anger. Izumi found herself angry at Kazemon, and the other Digi-Spirits—and whomever was responsible for always dragging her—and her friends—into these conflicts.

Izumi balled her fist, her mind became clear and she realized why the voice sounded familiar. She had heard that voice, once, before.

"Kazemon," she called out her name. "Where were you when we _needed_ your help? Where were you and Agunimon, and the other spirits?"

Kazemon answered her not with words, but with a small pull from the force of the wind.

'_I was there when you needed me most, wasn't I?_' Izumi heard Kazemon say. She sounded hurt, but Izumi steeled her heart. '_Agunimon and I saved you both from that world where you didn't know each other; where you have forgotten each other._'

"But you could have come sooner, like Duskmon said!" Izumi argued. "Why didn't you try harder?"

Silence once again as the wind died down. There was nothing Kazemon could say about that. Izumi was right, and—loathe as she was to admit it—so was Duskmon. Part of her wanted to throw one excuse after another, but another part—the one that knew and felt close to the human child; the one who thought of Izumi as someone who is more than a friend, but family—chose to let go of her pride and do what she thought was right: apologize.

'_You are right, Izumi. We could have helped. But Agunimon and I—no, we, the Digi-Spirits—have always thought we were confined within the world from where we were created. If we had the same gal as Duskmon had, if we had took that chance, then perhaps we would have managed to help you and the others and kept things from escalating this badly._'

"You told me I wasn't alone, but it felt that way to me—to us—Kazemon." Izumi admitted.

'_Maybe what Duskmon said was true. Maybe we have just grown accustomed to watching and waiting, and as he says, sitting on our thrones, but you have to believe me when I say that I am sorry._' She added. '_I'm sure Agunimon and the others feel the same way as I do, Izumi. I'm sure they want to make it up to you and to the other _Spirit Shinkers_. So…if you'll have us again, then I promise you that we'll rescue your friends, fix this whole mess, and bring you all back to your world._'

Izumi opened her eyes. The darkness was gone, but there was still some lingering feeling of anger, and doubt, and even a hint of fear left within her. At the same time, there was also hope.

In a voice filled with challenge, Izumi faced the wind and said, "Prove it."

* * *

><p>Katsuya panted, sweat dripped from his brow down to his chin. His blond hair stuck to his skin. His doppelganger was equal to him in every way. He had tried everything he could think of, did all the maneuvers he knew, wielded his sword as best he could, but the other him kept toe to toe with him.<p>

"Damn it," Katsuya gritted his teeth. "What now?"

He was running out of options, and of energy.

His doppelganger, on the other hand, didn't look the least bit winded. There was not a sign of sweat on him, and he looked as spry as though he wasn't undergoing any strenuous physical activity.

"What's wrong?" the doppelganger asked, a wry grin on his face. "Is that the best you could do? I was hoping for something _more_."

"Shut up…me!" Katsuya growled. "I'm not…I'm not finished yet."

"Really? It looks to me that you are. It's funny too, for someone who's supposed to be the real thing, you're not really all that. I haven't even used my real power and you already look like you're about to pass out."

_Is he serious?_ Katsuya thought. He was certain that both of them were giving their all. _Is he really just playing with me?_

"Heck, I'm even using a weapon I'm not used to," the doppelganger went on. "I thought it was going to be interesting to have a handicap. Apparently, not."

"S-Shut up," Katsuya hated being laughed at by a shadow of himself. He hated being thought of as weak, and incapable. He gripped his sword tighter, his knuckled turning white. "I get what this whole trial is about. You're just a shadow, a mirror image. It isn't about defeating you, right? It's about understand that."

The other Katsuya laughed. "Are you an idiot? This isn't about you accepting whatever or acknowledging what it is you lack. This is about you showing me what you got. And, to be honest, you ain't got much, Katsuya Kanbara."

Without another word, and without letting Katsuya say a word in edgewise, the doppelganger resumed his attack, hacking and slashing, never once letting up. All Katsuya could do was step back and defend himself.

Each time their swords clashed, Katsuya's arm grew weaker until the sword felt so heavy and felt like nothing more but a burden. The fire that was always alive and burning in the sword's blade was dying out and Katsuya knew that the moment the flames are extinguished, the battle would be lost.

_I can't…I can't let myself be defeated by a mere shadow of myself._ He thought to himself. _I have to find a way to push back. I _have_ to!_

But thoughts could only do so much. No matter how strong his will burned or how relentless his spirit was; no matter if he inherited his father's hardheadedness and unwillingness to back down, Katsuya was still slowly but surely being defeated.

Finally, his double pushed him down and his sword vanished from his hand. The tip of the sword the other Katsuya was wielding was poised on his neck, one small move and his head would be decapitated from his neck.

"Like I've said, you ain't got much." The doppelganger smirked.

Katsuya glared at the doppelganger, his teeth ground together. "And I've told you, I'm only just beginning. You haven't seen anything yet. You know as well as I do what I managed to do before. I helped beat Chronosmon. I was able to drive back the shadows the Evil One let out on us _and_ helped Duskmon. Me! The _real_ Katsuya Kanbara!"

The other Katsuya sighed. "Give it a rest, buddy. You may have done that, but there's an extent to what you can do—to what we _both_ can do. And you and I both know the truth, Katsuya. There's nothing _real_ about you, or me."

Those words—the words Katsuya knew was true but couldn't bear to accept—did something to him; triggered something within him. He screamed, angry, desperate. Without thinking he swung his arm. The doppelganger jumped back, surprised that Katsuya could still have that much energy to swing his arm and to stand wobblingly on his feet.

"I'm…I'm real." Katsuya growled. If looks could kill, the look Katsuya was giving his double would've ended the battle. "And I don't…need you, or your words, or anyone else to tell me otherwise or teach me anything!"

The cocky look on the other Katsuya's face vanished. The smirk he had playing on his lips was no more. Instead, he looked at Katsuya with a mixture of sadness, regret, and pity.

Shaking his head, the doppelganger said, "You've got to face facts sometimes, Katsuya. Even when you don't want to. You've got to learn that. And, most importantly, you've got to move on."

And then he vanished, leaving Katsuya alone in anger.

* * *

><p>The old man closed his eyes and sighed. What he was doing was taxing him. So far, he was happy with the success he had with both Takuya and Izumi. Of course, he knew he could count on them. He also knew, the lessons were far from over.<p>

"There is still a lot more for them to learn, but…"

But there was Katsuya. The old man knew he had to ready himself for when Katsuya returns. He was certain that the young man was not happy with the things he heard; the things he was reminded of.

"He still couldn't accept it," he said, sadness seeping into his voice. "You have taught your son to be strong, brave, and fierce…but either you neglected to teach him the most important thing, or your son had forgotten it completely."

"I would like to think I have done all I could, old man," a much older Takuya answered as he stood behind the old man, his eyes downcast at having seen his own son's actions. "Izumi and I have passed the torch on over to him, it's up to him what he will do with it."

"Yes, but will he do the right thing?" the old man asked, and for that the Takuya Kanbara of the Dead Sea of Dreams had no answer.


	29. The Ancient Workings of the Spirits

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic **

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

**The Ancient Workings of the Spirits**

* * *

><p><em>.::.<em>

_Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood._

_Attack like the Fire, and be still as the Mountain._

_.::._

* * *

><p>The power that coursed through him was new. He had thought that he had known all there was to know about controlling the Spirit of Fire, but Takuya found that was not the case. He had thought he knew what it felt to merge with Agunimon, he didn't.<p>

Despite having gotten used to the power of the Digi-Spirits, the energy that flowed within him—merged with him, grabbed hold of him in a way that he felt he was wrestling with fire—was intense, to say the least. It wasn't tame, and Takuya found himself struggling to take control of the flames that was now in his command without the need to transform.

It wasn't easy. It certainly was not without pain. Fire, Takuya was beginning to truly comprehend, was untamable, incorruptible. It was _raw_ power. It doesn't follow anyone and does what it please. It was destructive and unyielding. It doesn't care if it burns the hands it warms. But just as it could raze and destroy, so too could it bring life and warmth.

Fire was a double-edged sword that bends to no one. An ancient force to be reckoned and not to be trifled with. One that deserves much respect.

His body heated up and the flame raged from within, as his soul merged with the spirit of the Ancient Spirit of Fire. He could feel Agunimon supporting him, letting him know that he was not alone—and that he never will be, until the time their battle comes to an end and the Evil One purged from the world.

'_You have to be tempered by these flames in order for us to be able to work together without the need of the Digi-Spirits, just like how Kouichi had embraced the existence of Duskmon within him, so too must you learn to embrace mine within yours,_' Agunimon had told him, in a voice and manner of speech that Takuya had never heard the Digi-Spirit of Fire use before.

At first, Takuya had thought that he needed to walk through the molten lava that surrounded him. He had been frightened, and quite honestly, shocked. But, as it turns out, walking in the lava would have been easier compared to what he was experiencing.

But, Takuya accepted it all. He gritted his teeth and allowed himself to be cleansed, knowing the enormity of what needed to be done and the importance of doing it.

As the flames continued to meld with his soul, Takuya could only hope that Izumi wasn't undergoing the same thing he was; that whatever she needed to accomplish, in order to make use of the Digi-Spirit of Wind without requiring D-Tectors, was not as painful as his experience.

* * *

><p>She strained her ears, trying to hear anything beyond the whish and the whirl of wind blowing all around her, but all she could hear was a thrumming sound, not much louder than a murmured whisper. She couldn't see where she was at either, the wind was making it hard for her to even try to open her eyes. All she could use to tell where she was were the sounds.<p>

There was a sort of calmness in the midst of the raging and battering wind that kept Izumi from being frightened. It was as though someone was holding her in an embrace—a cocoon of safety. She wondered if this was Kazemon's way of apologizing.

Still, despite how peaceful it was, there were times when she could feel herself being tugged in different directions—not _physically_, more like it was her _soul_ that was being pulled. Briefly, Izumi wondered if this was the start of what the old man had wanted her to learn; if there was some secret behind what she was feeling.

Before long, Izumi could hear a voice. Though still muffled and far-sounding, Izumi was certain of one thing: it wasn't Kazemon's voice that she could here. There was no lilt when this voice spoke, no hint of fun or of an accent—thanks to her upbringing and her mannerisms being mimicked by the Digi-Spirit she had once wielded. This one sounded older, more somber.

'_Your soul must be flexible in order to merge with the wind. Strong and resilient; calm yet raging like the tempest. That is the only way for you to be able to wield the full extent of the powers stored within the Digi-Spirit of the Wind. You must also learn to control your emotions, and accept them for what they represent.'_

As soon as she heard those words, Izumi felt she was being smoldered. Each breath she took came with a price. Her mind was assaulted with various images she couldn't comprehend at first, but later realized were images from Kazemon's past.

There were so many of them—most of which she had couldn't make heads or tails of. The events she was shown confused her and did not abate the pounding of her head. The safety she had felt before was gone, and she knew she had to withstand the onslaught if she hoped to obtain the lessons the old man had promised she would learn and earn the right to make use of the new power he spoke of.

And she needed to survive the trial, she needed the power.

_And if this is the only way to obtain it,_ Izumi thought to herself as she willed herself to stay conscious; to stay steadfast, _then…so be it._

* * *

><p>Duskmon didn't like where his trail of thought had brought him. He didn't like what it was the old man had expected him to do—what the old man had placed his hopes upon by bringing him and Loweemon at the Ritual Chamber, the very same chamber where they had last communed with Ancient Sphinxmon, just before the Ancient Digimon Spirit bestowed the last remnants of his powers to the two of them.<p>

Duskmon knew that Loweemon had also come to the same conclusion as him, and though Loweemon didn't speak out, the Tainted Spirit of Darkness knew that he was simply bidding his time, letting him decide.

Loweemon was ready. Duskmon was certain of that, if not anything else. He knew that Loweemon had only been waiting for him. And this—the thought of it, the moment that had come before Duskmon—frightened him in a way that none had before.

He wanted run. To escape what had been deemed inevitable ever since Ancient Sphinxmon split himself into two.

Duskmon wanted to remain as he was—as he _is_. He was willing to take the risk for it, even though he knew that someday—and that was someday soon—he would have to part with Kouichi and hope that the human would be strong enough to fend for himself; to reclaim the self he had lost.

Even though he felt that he was being forced into it, Duskmon knew—from the bottom of his heart, though he was not going to admit it to anyone—that the old man and Loweemon meant only well; that they were merely thinking of his well-being, and the well-being of the human he had come to regard as his ally and his friend.

"You know this is the only way, right?" Loweemon finally spoke up after a while, seeing the conflicted look on the Tainted Spirit's face.

"No, it's not," Duksmon looked at Loweemon, his eyes flickering with something the purified spirit didn't expect to see within his crimson eyes. "You _know_ this is not the only way, Loweemon. You know there's another way…A _darker _path. _That_ is the path we had been asked to take, not this."

"And yet you don't sound as sure of it as you have been eons ago," Loweemon observed.

Duskmon looked away, certain that Loweemon would think of his confusion as a sign of weakness.

"If you truly believe that this isn't what we're supposed to do, Duskmon, then why are you not stopping me?" Loweemon asked, "Why aren't you fighting—kicking and screaming—clawing your way out of this place? You know deep down that this is what you also want to do now."

"It's no longer about what I want, Loweemon—or even what you want," Duskmon knew what he was saying was true the moment the words were out in the open. "It's what we _need_ to do; what we're _supposed_ to do. It's what we have been prepared for. Don't you remember what we were created for? What our original mission is?"

"I do," Loweemon nodded. He did remember, after all, there was no way to forget it; not when both he and Duskmon were around. "But I also know that things have changed. A lot. What might've been important back then, seems like a small deal now. If we don't do this, it wouldn't matter if we accomplish Ancient Sphinxmon's original role or not. The worlds will end and the Evil One will rise up. I think, above all else, Ancient Sphinxmon wouldn't like his rival getting the better of him. He would rather we do this than let that guy win."

Duskmon snorted, "Did he tell you that?"

"I get the feeling it's the truth," Loweemon shrugged, "After all, I am a part of Ancient Sphinxmon…just like you."

Silence dawned upon them after that. Before Loweemon decided to breach it, trying to get Duskmon to see what he refused to see. "Even if we unite the two halves of the Digi-Spirit of Darkness, even if we make it whole again, you're not going to lose who you are now, Duskmon. Neither one of us will. The days we spent as ourselves won't be lost. It will still be there, just in a much different and much powerful form than the one we have been accustomed to."

He closed his eyes, and charged on, "It might be the only way to bring Kouichi back to his senses, and save the people he love—the people we've grown to care about."

Loweemon let Duskmon sit on his words for a while, letting the words sink in. He has said his part, now all he needed to do was wait for Duskmon to make the final decision—the one that they will live with.

* * *

><p>Katsuya didn't know what he was supposed to do next. His doppelganger had vanished, and he was still inside a looping world with no idea on how to get out of it.<p>

He had searched far and wide, high and low, for any exit. But there was none. What's more, he was still very much tired—fatigued from the intense battle he had fought against one who claimed to be him.

He felt the truth of his doppelganger's words as he remembered them. He knew he wasn't "real"; that he was no longer "alive". He had accepted it before—that his existence was merely an echo, one borne from the existence of Yumi Akihabara. He was a remnant of the future that will never come to be.

Granted, Takuya and Izumi will still end up together. They will still get married and have children of their own, and even grandchildren and great-grandchildren after that. But he wasn't going to be one of those children, and he certainly wouldn't be the one to sire the next generation of Kanbaras. Still, when he saw what the new future was going to be like—the one waiting for them should they succeed in pushing the Evil One back and rebuilding the broken Pillars, he couldn't help but wish he was.

It was a selfish wish, he knew that. But his yearning was so strong that he didn't care how selfish it was, or how impossible it would be. He wanted to be a part of it. And he was willing to do everything in his power to obtain such a wish, even if it means he had to fight the call of his duty; of his mission.

He wondered if the old man had sensed the change in him; if the old man knew of how drastically his plans had been altered. But those thoughts only came fleetingly, and in a moment they were gone.

_I _don't_ care._ Katsuya thought to himself, gazing at the far-off distance. His mind was already made up. _I'm sick and tired of being everyone's lapdog and not being able to decide what I want for myself. This time, I _will_ get what I want…Yumi did._

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you don't need me to talk some sense into him?" Takuya asked the old man as he continued to watch his son. "I think he needs my help."<p>

"It is too late for that," the old man replied. His voice held sadness in them, though if the decision Katsuya had made surprised him, he did not show it. "His mind is already made up."

"But—!"

"Katsuya has served a part of his purpose, and though he looked as though he came out of it unscathed, the problem lies deeper than from what he has given in order to mend the chain of memories of the other Takuya and Izumi." The old man didn't let Takuya argue. "He felt the backlash of his actions; saw things he _shouldn't_ have. And though the decision he has made is not one I would have liked, there is no one to blame for it but myself. I had failed to see the consequences of burdening your son, as I continue to fail to see where his decision would lead him, and us."

"So, what now?" Takuya asked, brows furrowed.

"Now I will pull him back. His time wandering around that place has come to an end now that he has chosen his path."

"And you're not going to even try to stop him? You're not going to put him to right?" Takuya was incredulous. "This could jeopardize everything."

"Perhaps. But like I have said, there's nothing we can do about it. It's too late." The old man then turned his attention to the other images being displayed before him. "Katsuya will still work against the Evil One, but it would appear that your younger self, Izumi, and Duskmon would have to be our aces now."


	30. New Form

**Digimon Frontier Fanfic **

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

**New Form**

* * *

><p><em>.::.<em>

_In a world filled with sweet scents and blue sky, lives the gentle, uplifting butterfly,  
>whose metamorphosis has this truth to teach: Our aspirations are within our reach.<br>For this fluttering flyer of soaring worth, was at one time a creature that crawled the earth._

_.::._

* * *

><p>Eyes the color of liquid gold scanned the surroundings. His eyes offering him a sight that was both familiar and new, seeing for the first time the world as Agunimon saw it and not as his human eyes perceived.<p>

He inhaled scents he never would have guessed lay hidden beneath the sulfuric smell that permeated the air—an aroma which had once assaulted him, but now found oddly normal; comforting, even.

It was strange to be able to see, and feel, and experience things as both himself and as Agunimon at the same time—as opposed to how it had been when he Digivolved using the Spirits. Before, it was all him, borrowing the powers that allowed his body to transform into a Digimon. Now, it was both of them occupying a single body—which was still his—and experiencing things _together._

He was Takuya Kanbara and Agunimon at the same time.

Unlike before, when he had managed to make use of the Digi-Spirit of Fire's power to transform into a Digimon himself, there was no transformation involved; no shimmering lights and swirling data. If anything, Takuya remained as he was, except for the fact that he had golden eyes instead of auburn, and the red tattoo that had appeared in his skin.

The markings on his body—the tattoos that were the color of dried blood—were similar to those he remembered seeing in Agunimon's armor and in Flamon's skin. They were tribal, primal, and wild in nature, which fitted perfectly to what Takuya finally understood the element of Fire was.

'_This feels much easier than I thought it would be. Much easier than the first time Kazemon and I did it, at least.'_ Agunimon mused from inside his consciousness—the part where he would linger until their task was complete. _'I can see why Duskmon was pretty annoyed with our lack of action.'_

"Speak for yourself," Takuya huffed as he stretched his body around, pleasantly surprised by the new feel of it. "I was pretty sure I would die…even if you assured me you weren't going to let something bad happen to me."

As corporeal as Agunimon was at the moment, living inside of him, Takuya could sense the Digi-Spirit shrug, '_Well, at least, with this arrangement, I can protect you without having the need to take over your body. Yours is pretty hard to move around with, you know._'

Takuya, actually, didn't know that. And he didn't know how to respond to that statement, either. So, he just kept quiet, wondering what they were supposed to do next.

'_I don't think the old man's going to let us out of this place just yet,_' Agunimon said in response to Takuya's thoughts.

"How would you know?" Takuya asked, not meaning to sound defensive but ending up anyway.

'_Because it's highly improbable that he would put us here just so he could teach both of us how to merge our consciousness—our spirits—into one without the need of digivolving. And because,_' Agunimon paused and Takuya could feel him nudging him to look at the other side of the molten river, '_this place isn't a confined space. There is still one place we could go to._'

* * *

><p>A blast of condensed air shot out from her open palm—a palm that had muted green and purple lines dancing around it, elegantly painted by the merging of souls she had accomplished with the Digi-Spirit of Wind. The wind hit a walls of the cavern and quickly took a sizable chunk out of it.<p>

Her eyes, glowing with the many spectrum of green, danced with an emotion not easily fathomed. She felt powerful, in control; but at the same time, she felt like she could lose herself to the euphoria, it made her felt frightened. She had to constantly remind herself that power could corrupt and the power she now possess—a power shared Kazemon shared with her—would undoubtedly do that and more if she wasn't careful.

It wasn't just the markings on her body and the power she now wielded that was new to Izumi Orimoto. Apart from being able to summon wind at her command and make it do her bidding, she was able to levitate herself off the ground and hear the voices of the wind carrying with them messages and various information—it was, ultimately, what made her element much more powerful and useful than the others, save for the elements of light and darkness, of course, those two were in a completely different league than her own.

'_We really both have a strong affinity with one another,_' Kazemon's words drifted into her consciousness. '_I thought it would take a while for you to be able to have full control of my element, after what happened the first time I forced myself into you._'

"It's not as hard as I thought it would be," Izumi nodded. "I mean, once you get to understand the basics of it."

Even without her seeing—or sensing—Kazemon's approval, Izumi knew the words she had spoken was true.

Wind was an element that was hard to master, because it didn't submit to anyone; it didn't have any form or shape; and it can't be willed to be what it doesn't want to be. It was omnipresent. It could either be powerful and raging with all of its fury and might; or gentle, like a lover's caress. The wind can be anything it wanted to be, roam where it wanted to. Nothing can stop it, and nothing ever will.

'_You have to be very careful, Izumi,_' Kazemon reminded her, and not for the first time. '_The wind can destroy you as easily as it could aide you._'

Izumi nodded, remembering the pain she had underwent in order to merge her spirit with Kazemon's. The wind had not been gentle then. It had been—just as she was—adamant and hard-headed. It had tried to rip her apart, and she had fought hard against it, until she had realized that the only way to survive was to cooperate.

And now that she had taken control of the Digi-Spirit of Wind's powers, and had mastered it to some extent, Izumi wondered what else needed to be done.

'_Maybe we should practice some more?'_ Kazemon suggested. '_I feel it's only right to be sure that we have this whole thing down. We don't want to come across problems later._'

"Agreed," Izumi nodded.

The moment the words escaped graced her lips, she felt Kazemon slowly pull away from the connection they both had shared. The sudden loss of power made her feel naked, like a newborn. She chastised herself for feeling that way. She didn't want to be _too_ dependent on Kazemon's powers that she would end up having some sort of withdrawal when the time came that they would have to part, permanently.

Taking a deep breath and counting to ten, Izumi then opened up and reached out to the air around her, feeling the power that, although invisible, was ever present. She felt Kazemon's hand meet with hers, and the moment they touched, the now-familiar flow of power entered her.

Where the wind touched, muted green and purple lines appeared and snaked its way around her skin until, finally, her spirit and Kazemon's were merged once again. Two people co-inhabiting one body.

Without any prodding from the Digi-Spirit of Wind, Izumi then began to test all of the powers that had been handed down to her, making sure she could do it over and over again. She didn't feel the least bit tired, even after she had shaved a large chunk of the earth off from the cavern's wall. In fact, it was the complete opposite. She felt _exhilarated_.

"That should do it," Izumi nodded to herself. Much as it brought her great pleasure, she didn't want to overdo it and strain herself. "I don't think there's anything we should be worrying about, Kazemon."

'_You're right,_' Kazemon acknowledged. She paused for a while before adding,'_I was wondering…do you think you could still call forth the Gale Sword?_'

The question surprised Izumi. The thought of summoning the sword that had aided them time and time again didn't cross her mind until then.

"I'm not sure," she replied. "Why do you ask?"

'_Well, I was wondering—since you gained the use of my power again—if there were any side-effects,_' Kazemon spoke slowly. _'If by using my power, you have lost the ability to use the Gale Sword. And if you can _still_ use it…then, well, it would certainly make you that much more powerful but also makes me worried about the consequences._'

Izumi didn't like the sound of that. She didn't want to think of the possibility that she had unwittingly and unwillingly given up something just to be able to tap into Kazemon's powers. The thought of it—the uncertainty—made her frightened.

'_I'm sorry,_' Kazemon quickly apologized when she took note Izumi's emotions. '_I didn't mean to scare you like that, Izumi. It just…a thought._'

"No, maybe…maybe you're right, or maybe there's nothing to worry about. We have to ask Duskmon when we get back, or the old man…either, or _both _of them might know something," Izumi forced herself to remain calm, even if her voice was shaking and her mind was already being assaulted by all sorts of 'what-if' scenarios.

Kazemon didn't say anything, even though she had a feeling that Duskmon wouldn't provide the answer they seek and that the old man would probably know but refuse to say.

Thinking about Duskmon made her worried about the Tainted Spirit. Something was going on, that was something she was certain of. She could sense it in the air, hear whispers of it in the wind. But that was all she could garner from it: whispers—uncertain ones at that.

Whatever Duskmon was going through at that very moment, Kazemon could only have an inkling that it was something _big_.

* * *

><p>He must be crazy.<p>

No. He was _definitely_ crazy.

There was no way he would have chosen this for himself if he had been sane. There was absolutely no way in Hell's Field he would have even considered it.

And yet, here he was doing _exactly_ what he had—for eons—kept Loweemon from doing. He was certain someone—Ancient Sphixmon, no doubt—was _not_ going to be happy with him. Not happy at all.

But there was no going back now. Now that the two halves of a whole were reuniting, nothing short of a disaster—or a miracle, depending on one would look at it—could stop it.

'_It's okay, Duskmon,_' Loweemon said to him as the two of them faced it each other at a place that was not of any world the _Spirit Shinkers_ or the old man have—and _could_—go to. _'You don't need to worry about things on your own anymore._'

'_Who said I was worried?_' Duskmon's words came out defensively, and only served to cause Loweemon to laugh good-naturedly.

'_Well then perhaps I am mistaking this feeling emanating from you for something else? Maybe you're just excited and don't know how to properly express it?_' Loweemon teased.

'_Just…shut up!_' Duskmon growled.

Loweemon laughed once more. He had never felt so…_free_. Finally, things were going to be as it should be.

To express in words what it was Loweemon and Duskmon felt as their whole being merged would be next to impossible. There was no words to express it. Nothing written nor spoken could describe what it was like. It was just…right.

Duskmon realized that was true with each passing moment. But he wasn't going to say that aloud. As the last remnant of his powers merged with Loweemon, the Tainted Spirit of Darkness couldn't help but smile.

_Ancient Sphinxmon be damned…_


	31. Phosphorescent

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Thirty**

**Phosphorescent**

* * *

><p><em>.::.<em>

_So the darkness shall be the light;_

_And the stillness shall be the dancing._

_.::._

* * *

><p>The moment Izumi Orimoto was pulled back into the old man's palace, it took all of her effort not to pass out. She hadn't realized, up until then, how tired she was. The strain she should have felt, whilst making full use of her new-found powers in that place the old man had sent her off to, suddenly came barreling down on her.<p>

"There is no need to push yourself even more, child," the old man's voice was laced with kindness as he helped her up—something Izumi didn't think, in his fragile-looking state, the old man was capable of. "You have performed splendidly. Now is the time for you to rest."

"But, Takuya—!" Izumi argued, seeing as Takuya had yet to return.

"Takuya will be back shortly," the old man replied, looking into the far-off distance. "He is almost done with his own training with the Spirit of Fire." Looking at her, he added with a smile, "Takuya is just as successful as you were—as I had no doubt both of you would be."

Izumi smiled. She may not have been vocal about it, but she was worried that Takuya would butcher the opportunity with his hard-headedness.

_Then again, I _was _pretty hard-headed myself,_ Izumi admitted even before Kazemon could remind her of it.

"What about Duskmon and Katsuya?" Izumi would not let herself rest without knowing what had become of the rest of their ragtag group. "Are they back yet?"

The old man gave a mysterious smile. "Duksmon's reason for entering cave is much different. He has proven to be an unpredictable card in this whole gamble. Suffice to say, he did well—better than I had hoped he would. I believe I am not the only one who shared in this surprise." The old man's face then darkened for a second when he began speaking of Katsuya, saying, "As for Katsuya, he is also unpredictable though I fear in the completely opposite way as Duskmon."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

The old man merely shook his head in reply. He couldn't say more. The look on his face also told Izumi that she wouldn't be able to gain anything from pushing the answers out of the old man.

"Now that I have given you all the answers I can give, Ms. Orimoto," the old man shook his head before turning to Izumi again and smiling, "I believe it is time you rested. I need to stay here to wait for the others' return, in the meantime, a very good friend of mine will help you to your room."

"A friend?" Izumi asked. Save for herself, she knew the old man was without company at the moment.

The old man nodded, and before Izumi could ask another question, she heard footsteps from behind—heavy ones—that told her, before she had the time to turn around and see for herself, that the owner was a man.

'_This can't be right,' _Kazemon told her just as the Spirit of the Wind felt something about the person making his way to them.

'_What is?_' Izumi asked, but right then she saw what had made the Spirit of Wind mutter something like that.

He looked older, more rugged yet his eyes still retained that spark she had noticed the first time they met. Despite how time—among other things—had taken a toll on him, Izumi knew—without a doubt—that the man standing before him was Takuya Kanbara. The _future_ version of him, at least.

"Takuya?" she almost choked upon seeing him, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"I don't think it's appropriate to say 'It's been a while' under these circumstances since, well, it hasn't been that long for me, but…" Future Takuya grinned, "It's been a while, Izumi."

* * *

><p>"Holy crap!" Takuya exclaimed as, to his surprise, he managed to punch out flames from his first and burn a nearby tree in the process. He looked at his knuckles, gingerly touching them as if he believed they were burning hot from what he had managed to do. It wasn't. It was as warm as a living being's fist. "How did I do that?"<p>

'_The same way you managed to cross the river of magma on your way here,_' Agunimon supplied the obvious answer that Takuya had failed to grasp at the moment. '_It appears this…unconventional form of union has not only allowed me to live inside your body, but allowed you to make use of my powers…as I figured it would. After all, Kouichi and Duskmon could do it._'

"Okay…so, what else can I do?" Takuya asked, grinning. He felt pumped up.

'_Why don't we try and see? I don't believe we can harm anyone by going crazy in this place._'

Takuya nodded, poised himself and began punching around as if he was shadowboxing. Flames shot out from his fist, some of them quickly disappearing, others leaving a trail of fire behind while burning everything in its path. He wondered if kicking would result in the same way, and so he tried, focusing his and Agunimon's energy into his feet and kicked as hard as he could. The result was the same as an arc of flame burse out from where his feet had touched and traveled a long distance, destroying anything—and everything—in its path.

"Wow..." Takuya's jaw dropped, seeing the destruction a seemingly futile action caused. He didn't seem all too concerned that his shoes were completely burnt, leaving nothing but soot and ashes on his feet. "I have to remember not to go waving my feet and arms around when I'm angry and while we're sharing my body like this, Agunimon."

'_I second that,_' Agunimon nodded. '_Izumi and the old man wouldn't want something like that happening. You also have to remember, fire _cannot _be contained. You have to be responsible in your use of it. You have to respect it otherwise_—_"_

"Otherwise, I'll get burnt, right?" Takuya finished. He knew that. He understood that, after all, that lesson had been ingrained in his being after what he had gone through inside the cave. "Don't worry, Agunimon. I'll keep that in mind."

Takuya then paused, and after some musings, asked, "Hey, do you think I'll be able to do that?"

'_Do what?'_ There was a hint of wariness in Agunimon's astral voice as he spoke. As if he was certain he wasn't going to like what Takuya was going to say next.

"That move I used to do when I was you. You know, Salamander Break?"

'_Like I've said before, Takuya,_' Agunimon sighed. '_The only way to find out, is to try.'_

The grin on Takuya's face made Agunimon wonder if, perhaps, that was the wrong thing to say.

* * *

><p>"It's kind of unnerving to see you looking at me like that," Future Takuya chuckled as he helped Izumi to her room.<p>

"_You're_ the one who's unnerved?" Izumi couldn't believe what she had heard. "I'm the one who's talking with someone from the _future_."

"This isn't the first time, though. You have, after all, met my children. And, well, we have already met before…um, caught a glimpse of each other, rather." He grinned at her and added, "I can't really say their '_ours_' since, well, you're not the Izumi who's my wife."

Izumi couldn't keep the blush from creeping up her cheeks. She hated herself for it—for acting like a love-struck schoolgirl. Sure, Takuya was her boyfriend and was someone she intends to spend the rest of her life with, but _this_ Takuya was not. Besides, she was pretty certain some form of payment for the universe would be required from her for seeing what Takuya looked like in the future.

Trying to shake her reddening cheeks off, Izumi asked, "What are you doing here anyway?"

Future Takuya shrugged, "I'm a denizen of the Sea of Dreams, I can come and go to this place as I please…is what I want to answer, but the truth is, I came to check up on you guys."

"You're worried about us?" It shouldn't have surprised Izumi, but it did. "No offense, but there is nothing in it for you—any one of you from the future—if we win or lose. You've all lived a much longer, and fruitful, life than any of us."

"True, but this was a mess we started," A sad smile replaced the grin that had been on his face moments before. "Well, the Kouichi from _your_ time had something to do with it too but, well, the blame still rests on those of us from the future. If we hadn't sent Katsuya and Yumi back to the past, my daughter and Kouichi wouldn't have met and that would have solved the problem with the Evil One's return."

"That would also have caused our timeline to follow the same footsteps as yours," Izumi pointed out. "Nothing would have changed."

"Or so we would think," Future Takuya paused as they arrived at Izumi's room. "But who's to say that the events that would have transpired would be different that time around without our need to meddle? We wouldn't know the answers to that now, but I can't help wondering if there was some way we could have prevented all this from happening."

Izumi mulled Future Takuya's words over in her head, Kazemon pondered it as well. But they both knew, as the other Takuya did, that there was no use thinking about that now. All they could do was move forward and fix—as Future Takuya had said—all the mess that was made.

"So," Izumi asked as soon as she stepped inside her room, turning around her heels to face Future Takuya once again. "What's the _real_ reason why you're here?"

* * *

><p>Smoke rose up from his skin, as though they had been enflamed. His skin glistened in some ethereal way that he never thought would be possible back when he was the Tainted Spirit of Darkness. He felt more alive now than he had in the eons since his creation. He felt free.<p>

"So, this is what it feels like," I inhaled everything he could—all the scents that permeated the air.

'_Amazing, isn't it? It's much better than I imagined it would be,_' came a voice that once had been distant but now lived with him. Their souls one and the same. '_Can you feel how much our strength have grown?_'

He did, indeed. The memory of the being known as Duskmon allowed him a quick glimpse of just how much that growth was. It was…exponential.

"Will this be enough, though?" he asked. "Enough to vanquish our enemy?"

'_We won't be able to know that until the time comes. Even though we may have become more powerful than we were before, how strong we are compared to _him_ is still an unanswerable question. Not until we've faced him, that is._' Came the reply. '_What I can tell, however, is that this power we now have is still growing, and we need to learn how to use it quickly before the Pillars are completely drained and lost._'

"I guess that's a fair assumption," he sighed. "We have just been reborn as one, after all."

* * *

><p>"How does <em>that<em> change anything?" Izumi asked, though if truth be told she would rather _not_ have this conversation, especially with _him_. "And why is that even such a big deal? I mean, it won't be a while until Takuya and I—!"

"Besides, we haven't even—!" She shook her head. There was no way she was going to say it out loud.

"It matters a whole lot, Izumi," Takuya answered, unperturbed. "Katsuya and Yumi Kanbara's existence must be erased. Completely. No traces of them must remain. How that will be for Yumi Akihabara, I don't know since she is a fragment of our Yumi. I don't even know how we will completely erase them in _your_ memories since, obviously, that didn't work when we tried before."

"But, _why_?"

"When this is all over, we need to sever whatever connections are between your timeline and ours. We need to close, not only the portal to our time, but the portal to the Dead Sea of Dreams as well. And that includes this palace." Takuya explained to the best of his abilities. "It has become obvious that we can't close it if there are remnants of our time in yours."

"And if…if I name my future children with Takuya with Katsuya and Yumi's names that would keep those doors from closing?" she wanted to make sure she understood it correctly. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "How do you even know I _would_ have twins?"

Future Takuya smiled. It was a smile that made Izumi want to slap him and it took everything she had to keep herself from doing so.

'_Someone sure is acting cocky,_' Kazemon didn't need to point out what Izumi was witnessing.

_You're _not_ helping, Kazemon. _

"Let's just say the odds are leaning to that," Future Takuya replied smugly, crossing his arms in the process. "But, more to the point of my worry is Katsuya's recent…behavior."

Surprised by the change of topic, Izumi asked, "Katsuya? What do you mean? He doesn't seem all that different from the last time I saw him."

"He may not look like it, but Katsuya has changed…greatly." He sighed, remembering the look that had crossed Katsuya's face when he had made a decision. "And I'm afraid he will be making a poor choice in the near future."

The sage-like way Future Takuya spoke bothered Izumi and made her feel as though there were more to the words he spoke.

"What is it you're not telling me, Takuya?" Izumi asked, daring him to dodge the question.

Future Takuya shook his head. "I really wish I could say more, Izumi. God only knows how much I want to help you and how much I don't like seeing you hurt—even if you are not _my_ Izumi. But, I can't. I can't risk it. All I can say is this: fear can make even the best of us walk down the wrong path."

* * *

><p>Takuya coughed and gagged as he stumbled back into the old man's palace, his clothes burnt and singed around the edges, his feet completely bare, his hair sticking out messily, his entire body was covered in smudges of soot and ash. Despite his disheveled state, his face beamed with the biggest grin the old man had ever seen him give since his return to the Dead Sea of Dreams.<p>

"I take it you were quite successful with your training," it was a statement, one laced with approval from the old man.

"Very," Takuya nodded enthusiastically. "Agunimon and I are back on business, old man!"

"Happy to hear that," the old man nodded before turning his attention to the left where shadows coalesced and spat out Kouichi Kimura, still inhabited by the Spirit of Darkness. "And it seems everything is in place. Welcome to the palace, Duskmon…or would you prefer to be called a different name now that you have merged with Loweemon?"

Even before Takuya could realize what it was the old man had said, he and Agunimon noticed something _different _about the Kouichi—or should they say, the Duskmon—that stood before them.

Gone were the markings that showed the union between human and Digimon; that marked Kouichi as a host for the Tainted Spirit of Darkness. His skin now held a much lively pallor. And the way he looked, the way he stood, it brought about a sage-like quality to him, one that was filled with peace and serenity—a complete contrast to who Duskmon was.

_And the eyes,_ Takuya noted, frowning when he saw his irises were no longer the color of blood, but the color of amethyst. _Is that really Duskmon? What happened to him?_

"A new name? I haven't thought about it."

The way he spoke, Takuya and Agunimon both noticed, was different as well.

"If it is all the same to you, perhaps you would allow me the honor of christening you with a new name?" the old man asked, a hopeful lilt in his voice.

He nodded.

Without so much as thinking twice about it, the old man proclaimed, "Then henceforth, you shall be called, 'Luxmon, the One Who Illuminates the Way'."


	32. Into the Belly of the Beast

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic **

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Thirty-One**

**Into the Belly of the Beast**

* * *

><p><em>.::.<em>

_When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters._

_One represents danger, and the other represents opportunity._

_.::._

* * *

><p>Luxmon was a lot more patient than Duskmon had ever been, if the way he remained calm and collected—despite the numerous questions, and the looks he was receiving from Takuya and Izumi. Though he didn't look all that different from how he once was, they act as though he had grown some form of appendage or another with the way they were looking at him.<p>

He could tell that apart from the initial surprise the two humans—and the Spirits that were bound to them—felt, they also were cautious of him. They didn't know who or _what_ he was, really. The explanation of being the complete form—the _true_—form of the Digi-Spirit of Darkness was lost to them, as it was to him. He didn't know how to explain it fully, not when he—himself—was confused as well.

The consciousness of both Duskmon and Loweemon still reside inside of him, but all he could gleam about of his existence was that it was _needed_ to thwart an evil and danger that was far too great to handle while the two spirits were apart. That this joining of souls—his very existence—was something Ancient Sphinxmon didn't wish for. That what the Spirits had done was against their mission.

He was an existence that was not meant to be. And he didn't mind that one bit.

_After all, I only have one thing to accomplish. One thing that is most important._

"I suppose," the old man spoke, breaking Luxmon from his reverie. "There is not much I can teach all of you for the moment…well, until the rest of the _Spirit Shinkers_ have been accounted for. And I am pretty certain, with the display of power you have all shown me, there is no doubt we have a fighting chance now to save the others. It's a small one, but it's a start."

"So does that mean—?" Takuya trailed off, the question hanging in the air.

The old man nodded. "There is no time to dilly-dally with this any longer."

Takuya and Izumi exchanged looks. Even though they were hoping to go rescue the others soon, there was one other problem they had to deal with: Katsuya. And the old man knew it was a problem to be dealt with, if Future Takuya's words had anything to do with it.

Takuya wasn't able to meet with his future self, but Izumi didn't bother to hide the information he had shared with her to her boyfriend. And once Takuya had heard what Izumi had to say, he didn't waste any time to confront the old man before Katsuya returned.

The old man had told him that Katsuya was different now. Takuya didn't believe it, and neither did Izumi. After all, how could a few hours—for that was how long they were gone, despite it feeling much longer than that—change a person? It was only when they had seen Katsuya for themselves did they knew how much he had changed.

He looked angry. So very angry. He didn't even bother to show any greeting to Takuya and Izumi. His eyes held in them something that was no longer familiar. And the way he set himself apart from them now was added proof that something had happened. Something _big_. Something that had changed the young man's outlook.

As soon as Katsuya heard what the old man had to say, and knew of their next couse of action, he pushed himself off from the pillar he was leaning on and walked away, not bothering to look back at the others. Not even when Takuya called for him.

It bothered Takuya. _A lot_.

"What's up with him?" Takuya muttered, the frown clearly visible on his face. Turning to the old man, he asked, "He didn't even acknowledge your presence. What, _exactly_, happened during his own training, old man?"

A dark look passed the old man's face. It was not a good sign. But the old man remained silent, unwilling to discuss anything with him. This only served to annoy Takuya.

"We're going to be heading off soon, old man. I need to know what's going on. I need to know if Katsuya will end up posing a problem for us, just like what the future me insinuated to Izumi." Takuya went on.

"That is something I cannot answer with much certainty," the old man responded. "All I can tell you," he paused, looking from Takuya to Izumi, then to Luxmon, and back to Takuya again before he went on, "is to be ready for anything. To keep an eye out for anything and everything. The Valkyries will, undoubtedly, try to make this even harder than it already is. They will use everything within their power to stop you, to make you doubt, and to use that doubt against you."

He paused once more, much longer this time.

"Katsuya," the next time the old man spoke, it was pained and filled with uncertainty. "is having the same dilemma that Yumi Kanbara had, although for different reasons. For Yumi, it was out of love for Kouichi. For Katsuya…"

The old man shook his head. He had said too much, and he didn't plan to say anything more. He couldn't risk it. Couldn't risk the dark forces to overhear him and use the knowledge against Takuya and the others. The less they knew, the better.

"I've said enough," the old man sighed and despite the look the others gave him, remained steadfast. "Just…be careful. And whatever Katsuya does, please understand where he is coming from…although, at times, it may be hard to do so."

* * *

><p>Katsuya's anger was growing, though the reason for it was something he was unsure of. Perhaps he was angry at his twin for digging the hole he had found himself on; perhaps he was angry at their parents for even dumping it all on them in the first place. Maybe his anger was directed at the old man for giving him such an impossible and, quite frankly a rather inexplicable trial—one that had no solution that he could think of whatsoever; maybe he was angry at the doppelganger for showing himself and saying all those things.<p>

He was also angry at how unfair everything was. How he had seen the future Takuya and Izumi will have—that other future they will lead the world into should they succeed—and saw how much happier everyone was in it. Everyone but him, for he did not saw neither sliver nor hide of his existence.

_Why should I help them out? Help my sister out?_ He contemplated, seething. _What good will it do me? Nothing! Why should I allow Yumi to have the happy ending she wants and rob myself of it? I won't allow it. I _can't. Those thoughts screamed at him, and steeled his heart even more.

In the end, Katsuya merely decided he was angry at the whole world and left it at that. He was angry and he didn't care what becomes of his anger—or what becomes of the rescue mission staged for the other _Spirit Shinkers._

Indifferent. That was what he intended to be.

Unbeknownst to the young man, his thoughts of anger, fear, selfishness, and indifference could be sensed by those who wished to do them harm. The Dark One was enjoying the turmoil the young man from a now-none-existent future was undergoing. He was feeding off of him. The strength—the depth—of his negative emotion making him stronger.

Still, the Dark One kept himself hidden—simply out of reach from the young man, out of the old man's sight. He was going to bid his time and allow Katsuya Kanbara's anger to grow, nourishing it until the time was ripe and he could use him to his advantage.

_Let your hatred to the world grow, Katsuya Kanbara. Let it grow and let me feed from it._ The Dark Ones laughter rang from where he watched, hidden.

* * *

><p>"Um…" Takuya was confused as he looked down on the clothes he suddenly found himself wearing. "Can I just ask…why?"<p>

Like him, Izumi was also dumbly staring down at her own set of clothing, unsure of how to react or voice out her thoughts without offending the old man and without knowing the reasoning behind it.

"Hmmm…?" The old man didn't know what Takuya was insinuating, or what his question actually meant, and so he asked, "What is the subject of your question, Takuya?"

"What's with the getup?" Takuya expounded on his earlier question. "I'm not really a fan of…um, tight-fitted, super-hero-eseque, _sentai_ outfits."

"I have to agree with…this is too…form-fitting…for me," Izumi muttered just loud enough to hear, blushing a bit as she tried to think of a way to look a lot more presentable.

True enough, their clothing really did resemble some 90's super-_sentai_ group and it was, as Izumi had said, form-fitting, accentuating their curves and muscles thanks to whatever material the outfit was made of.

For Takuya, his '_sentai_ outfit' was black and red in color, similar to the color scheme of Agunimon's outfit. Izumi's outfit, likewise, followed the same color scheme as Kazemon's with light purple, pink, and green. Their outfit completely concealed their skin, from the neck down to their toes.

"That '_sentai_ outfit', as you call it, is made of strong material that would keep you protected from any attack, melee or otherwise—to the best of its ability. It will also allow you to use your powers—however destructive they might be—without the danger of ripping or burning your clothes apart." The old man explained, nonchalantly. As if he was merely talking about the weather. "You aren't _required_ to wear it, but it would be helpful in battle. Unless you would both rather lose your clothing in the middle of some important fight."

At those words, the two teens blushed. Suffice to say, the old man's explanation kept them silent for a while and effectively drowned out whatever else they had to say about their outfits.

Luxmon, who wore the same kind of outfit as Takuya and Izumi—though his is dark and grey with white linings—was silent throughout, watching amused at how the Bearer of the Spirits of Fire and Wind were distraught over something so…insignificant. He did not voice it, of course. He did not have any intention of having his words misunderstood, not when he had to rebuild their trust.

It was Katsuya alone who did not have any wardrobe change, and who stood away from the others. The look he had on his face was one of indifference. Several times Takuya and Izumi glanced his way, but he show no signs that he noticed—or if he did, that he cared.

"Now that you are all set," the old man went on, "it is time for you all to move out and save the other _Spirit Shinkers_."

"How are we supposed to get to their palace?" Izumi asked. It was a topic none of them had broach before. "I'm pretty sure we can't just strut up to wherever that is and not expect an ambush waiting for us."

"Izumi's right," Takuya nodded in agreement. "They have to be expecting us. They must know that we won't sit idly by without rescuing our friends."

"Yes, they do know that. But I think we have the element of surprise on our hand, after all, the Valkyries would not have expected both of you to remember and to attain the power you both possess now. Nor could they have expected the Spirits of Fire and Wind to have any hand in this. As you may already have guessed—or known—the Digi-Spirits do not like to meddle too much into these affairs unless the Digi-World would be directly affected. Even then they would need a vessel." The old man said.

"That's your reasoning, old man?" Katsuya snorted. It was the first words that escaped Katsuya's mouth ever since he returned. "We just walk up there and hope they would be surprised enough _not_ to attack us? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

The old man looked unaffected by Katsuya's harsh words, although he did look at Katsuya for a good long second, scrutinizing him, before he turned his attention to Luxmon and nodded.

"The Valkyrie's palace is not hard to breach. At least, it's not hard for me now. I can create for us a passage—a tunnel—that would lead us directly at the heart of the palace." Luxmon admitted. "It will save us time and give us more of an edge against our enemies, but…"

"Here we go…" Takuya sighed. "I knew there was going to be a catch."

"Even if we do have the element of surprise on our hands, and even if we do manage to end up at their palace without a hitch, there is still the matter of finding the others—preferably _without_ being seen." The renewed Spirit of Darkness continued on. "I doubt the shadows in that place will cooperate with me if I ask them to guide us. I cannot risk it. Creating that pathway would be risk enough."

"So we still need to actually poke around," Izumi clarified, to which Luxmon and the old man nodded. "Do we have any idea how big that place is, though? Or what to even expect once we get there?"

"A fight," the old man replied. "Without a doubt, a fight would surely be waiting for you. Of course, there is also the problem with getting the _Spirit Shinkers_ to come with you. Like what has happened with both you and Takuya, there is a chance that their memories have been tampered with—that they may be brainwashed—and they would not willingly go with you."

"We would need to knock them out," Luxmon said in a heartbeat, as if that was the most obvious solution. "That would save us time, especially if the Evil One had decided to make use of them as well and turn them into our enemies."

* * *

><p>The 'pathway' Luxmon talked about was similar to what the old man had used to send them to their different trainings and trials in that it appeared out of nowhere. The inside, however, could not have been much more different even if it tried.<p>

Whereas the old man's tunnels looked and felt—and even _was_—natural, Luxmon's was made entirely of darkness and shadows. It was eerie and it made the hairs at the back of Izumi's head stand up and gooseflesh to rise in both her and Takuya's skin. And even though what awaited them at the end of the tunnel was a danger they were sure they would not face anywhere else, Izumi was glad when they finally emerged free of the dark confines of Luxmon's pathway.

The moment they stepped inside the Valkyrie's palace, Takuya and Izumi wasted no time joining their souls with the Digi-Spirits. They couldn't waste time and would rather be ready for battle at a moment's notice. The now-familiar feeling of being united in spirit with Agunimon and Kazemon brought a sense of calm to the two humans who would rather be anywhere else than there.

Understanding passed through the group. They knew what they had to do and how little time they had to do it. And so, without preamble, they began looking, poking their heads in rooms and sneaking through hallways. Any guards and soldiers they had met, they made quick work of making sure none of them could sound the alarm.

Hours later, when they still couldn't find signs of where the other _Spirit Shinkers_ were being kept, Takuya began to wonder if their friends were even there.

"Maybe the Valkyries had sent them off somewhere else, like what they did with us," Takuya voiced out his thoughts.

"That could be a possibility," Luxmon nodded, "Perhaps we didn't think this as thoroughly through as we thought we did."

"No," Katsuya shook his head. The way he spoke made him sound certain. "They're here. The Evil One and the Valkyries wouldn't risk sending them away as they did with the two of you."

"What do you mean, Katsuya?" Izumi asked. "How can you sound so sure about this?"

"Because that's how they work," Katsuya replied a-matter-of-factly. "The only reason they did that with the two of you is because you were both _special_. Probably. You two were most in-tuned with your Digi-Spirits and they knew it would be hard to take down the Pillars of Fire and Wind if that was the case. So, they decided to break your connections with each other, and with your spirits. That, and because they thought it would change the fact that Yumi and I are around to help. At least, that's what I've been told."

Takuya and Izumi both nodded at that. They didn't know what else to say, or how to react, especially since Katsuya was still speaking bitterly. Luxmon, however, didn't find it hard to speak.

"Then we need to cover more ground than this, if you intend to find the others soon." Luxmon said. "I would rather we don't spread out, but it's the only thing I could think of that may make the search easier."

"Unless we come across one of the Valkyries," Izumi pointed out. Despite having grown in power, she was still quite worried about facing the very same people that had almost killed her the first time. "Separating is a bad idea, Luxmon."

"We do not have much of a choice on the matter, Izumi." Luxmon's voice was gentle. It surprised Izumi and made her remember how it was talking with Kouichi, back when he had first joined their group. "We do not have the luxury, nor the time, to stay here much longer without jeopardizing the mission. Besides, if it helps, I am willing to go on my own way. You, Takuya, and Katsuya can work together."

"No," Katsuya suddenly spoke up. "I can handle the Valkyries if they decide to come after me. I'm going to go search around by myself."

Luxmon nodded, though Izumi noticed the hesitation in his eyes; like he would rather they keep a close watch on Katsuya. That emotion quickly vanished, however, and left Izumi to wonder if she had merely imagined it.

"Alright, then that settles it." It was weirder still—at least it was for Izumi—to see Kouichi smiling and know that he really wasn't the one smiling but the Spirit of the merger between Loweemon and Duskmon. "I'll take the lower levels, Katsuya can take the levels above, while the two of you can keep on searching in this level. That will surely save us time."

Despite the gnawing feeling that it was a big mistake, Izumi nodded, as did Takuya and Katsuya. And with their assignments known, they went their separate ways.


	33. Betrayal

**A Digimon Frontier Fanfic **

**By Sakura Martinez**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

It's been a while, everyone! I have to apologize for not being able to update this fanfic. If you have been reading my other fanfics (particularly the Rise of the Guardians one), then you know the reason behind it...which was the publication and release of my second book. Although said book (entitled 'Winged: The Unraveling, the second book in the Winged Saga) has just been released, that doesn't mean that I would have a lot of time to update this (and my other) fanfic(s) like before. I am, after all, already working on my third book. I will _try, _however, to update (at least) weekly...or every two weeks, depending on my schedule.

Having said that, I hope you guys enjoy this rather long chapter I. And please don't forget to review! :)

Dream on; Fly on!

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chronicles of Time: Another Future<strong>

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

**Betrayal**

* * *

><p><em>.::.<em>

_Tragedy in life normally comes with betrayal and compromise,  
>and trading your integrity and not having dignity in life.<br>That's really where failure comes._

_.::._

* * *

><p>There were a million-and-one things Takuya Kanbara wanted to tell his girlfriend at that moment, and a million more he wanted to do seeing her sauntering down the halls with him, wearing the outfit that served to accentuate everything he physically <em>loved<em> about her. But, of course, considering where they were and what they were supposed to do—not to mention the fact that the future of the entire universe desperately hinges on the balance—Takuya had to force himself to think of other much "_tamer"_ and less lascivious things.

'_Really, Takuya…'_ Agunimon had sighed. '_Now is hardly the time for such thoughts. Keep your focus on the task at hand.'_

'_I know, I know…Geez.'_ Takuya sighed back, shaking his head. There was no way he would let Izumi—and even more so, Kazemon—privy to the thoughts that had been racing through his head. Especially when she looked at him _that_ way. '_You can't blame me for thinking about...'_ another shake of his head. '_Damn old man and his _sentai_ outfits…_'

"—where else?" Izumi asked. When Takuya failed to give a response, Izumi stopped and turned her head to look at him, brows furrowed. "Takuya?"

"Huh? What?" was Takuya's ineloquent response.

A bit ticked off with him after realizing he wasn't listening, she wished she didn't need to repeat herself. But the thought that it might be something important—that she _needed_ to point it out—kept her from doing what she usually does when she finds her boyfriend inattentive.

"I was just pointing out that we have been searching for God-knows how long and we haven't seen anything that could tell us where they're keeping Kouiji and the others," she said. "I know Katsuya said they couldn't be anywhere else but here, but…I don't know."

"You're doubting Katsuya's words?" It came out as a question, even though Takuya intended it to be more of an observation.

"I'm doubting more than his words," Izumi admitted. "I'm doubting his actions, too."

"Don't you think you're just a _little_ bit paranoid about what the future me told you?" Takuya wasn't going to let others cynicism get to him. Izumi knew that. She also knew that it would take more than a few exchanged words and warnings from someone from the future to make him change his mind about someone. "Katsuya probably just had a rough time during his training, or trial, or whatever it was the old man had him go through. His emo-attitude would probably go away once we rescue Kouji and the others."

"And if it doesn't? If what the future you told me was true and Katsuya intends to do something to change the course of the future much more than Yumi already did? Then what?"

"Then we deal with it. Like we always do." Was Takuya's confident reply.

Izumi, however, could not share in his confidence.

* * *

><p>'<em>Did I make a mistake in letting him go on his own?'<em> Luxmon wondered, directing his question to the spirits he knew resided with his very soul; his very being.

'_No,_' came the reply. It was Loweemon. His voice filled with sage-like understanding. '_Whatever comes out of this is something that the old man had foreseen. And this will, in turn, tell us what we need to do and what Katsuya's decision will be. It is better to know now than to wait until the last moment, while we were fighting the Evil One._'

Luxmon nodded to himself, focusing once more on the task at hand. There were more rooms to be searched and guards getting in his way that he had to make quick work of. There were moments, as he quickly and stealthily made his way around, where he was tempted more and more to summon the shadows for help.

_It would be so much easier,_ he thought. _It would certainly save us time and energy._

But no sooner had he begun to entertain those thoughts would he be reminded of the consequences of it. The Evil One would sense him. The Valkyries would find them and would take the others away before they could have a chance to rescue them. He needed to be patient. He needed to keep himself hidden from the dark forces that threatened to destroy them all. And for that, he needed to act like an ordinary human in front of them; act like he was Kouichi, even when the power he had amassed through the joining of Loweemon and Duskmon's souls was threatening to pour out.

* * *

><p>Perhaps it was pride on his part, or maybe it was the desire to prove he didn't need some new type of power. Perhaps it was karma, or some other form of heavenly intervention. But Katsuya found himself face to face with one of the Valkyries, and his only means of fighting against him was not all that useful.<p>

He had only tried attacking once with his mother's sword, but it just bounced off of his enemy as though the Valkyrie before him had a powerful barrier on. He was powerless. He knew it. The Valkyrie before him knew it. But he was sure as hell wasn't going to say it out loud and admit the obvious.

He most definitely wasn't going to be taken down as well. He was going to fight. Odds be damned!

"I knew I had felt a disturbance in the palace, but I never expected the Guardian of the Dead Sea of Dreams to send _you_, child." The Valkyrie spoke, slowly as if he was bored. "Tell me, did you come here in search of the Pillars? Did you hope to rescue them? Because, let me be the one to tell you, how futile that would be. The Pillars have been lost. The war is already won. There is no stopping the imminent resurrection of our Dark Lord."

"The bad guys always say that before they get themselves kicked in the butt," Katsuya retorted. If he was afraid, or even worried, with his inability to fight at the moment, he hid it well behind confident words. "I would really stop gloating if I were you. After all, we're not out of this game just yet."

"Oh? Pray, tell. Humor me for a bit, human." The Valkyrie laughed, mocking. "The Pillars are nothing more than husks, the Ancient Spirits have forsaken the world they had created and sworn to protect, the key is within my master's grasp, and the only one who can change all of that is under his control. Tell me, how do you expect to come out as victors in this? Face it. There is no hope. Not for humanity, or the digital monsters your father and mother had worked so hard to defend."

"I don't know," Katsuya smirked. Despite the swords not adhering to his call, he acted as though he was just seconds away from summoning it and attacking the enemy before him. "We 'lowly' humans can surprise you."

* * *

><p>That nagging feeling that something was wrong was once again back, despite the fact that, after what seemed like <em>forever<em>, she and Takuya had finally overheard something useful from one of the guards in the palace before the two of them effectively silenced them.

Izumi didn't know what the cause of such a feeling was. She couldn't even ascertain that it _wasn't_ paranoia. All she could tell was that somewhere, deep-down, she could feel trouble brewing. Briefly, she wondered if something had happened to Luxmon or Katsuya. Or if it wasn't really luck that they heard about the "humans being kept prisoners for the Evil One" from the guards, but a trap.

She hoped that wasn't the case. She _really_ didn't want to go back to forgetting and not knowing about Takuya.

'_Maybe you're just a little bit worried about having to face the Valkyries again, Izumi._' Kazemon tried to placate her worries, knowing that any extreme form of emotion while they were united could result in some unprecedented weather that none of them would benefit from.

'_Maybe,_' Izumi nodded, though she couldn't be sure about that either. Truth be told, she was itching to dish out some payback for what those cocky Valkyries had done. And she was certain Takuya wanted to join in on that as well.

As they took to the hallway that had been previously hidden—and which they would not have known about without the 'help' of the guards—Izumi found herself worrying about something else entirely.

_How are we supposed to bring them back to the old man's palace with just Takuya and I?_ She wondered, mentally cursing once again on the decision to split up and wondering how they could tell Luxmon what they have found.

"You're awfully quiet," Takuya suddenly spoke, making her jump in surprise and the wind around them to react with her. Grinning as he tried to fix his hair, Takuya added, "Geez, there's no need for that. Do you _want_ them to find us?"

"Then don't surprise me like that!" Izumi hissed. Before she relaxed a bit and said, "I was just thinking…"

"Nothing new about that. You're _always_ thinking." Takuya teased.

"Well, obviously, one of us has to," She retorted.

Instead of being offended, Takuya merely guffawed, earning him yet another glare from his girlfriend. Sheepishly, he apologized before Izumi told him of her worries.

"I'm pretty sure we can just backtrack and find him, then bring him back to this place." Takuya offered a rather simple, if a bit problematic solution. "Unless, of course, the Digi-Spirits have some way of communicating with one another in long distances."

They paused for a while, giving the spirits that reside within them time to answer.

'_There _used_ to be a way,_' Kazemon admitted, and it surprised Takuya that he could hear her as well. '_Like what Agunimon and I are doing now, but—_'

'—_But Luxmon is a different being. He is a spirit like us, true, but since we know nothing of him, we can't form a connection to communicate with him._' Finished Agunimon.

"The long and troublesome way it is," Takuya said, deciding on how to get to Luxmon. "Anyways, we first have to make sure that everyone is accounted for before we hightail it back to him."

When they found the ominous looking door—the _only_ door—that led out of the hallway and further in to who-knows-where, the two _Spirit Shinkers_ went quiet. They tried to make out the sounds that were on the other side of the door, but there was nothing but eerie silence.

Takuya looked at Izumi, and even though no words were spoken, it was clear that he was asking her if she was ready, to which the Bearer of the Spirit of Wind nodded in response. Mustering the courage he needed to face the unknown, Takuya heaved a deep breath before placing his hand on the door and pushing it open ever so slowly and carefully so as not to make a sound.

The other side of the door was dimly lit by scones burning with a purplish-colored flame, one that Agunimon showed displeasure in seeing and warned both Takuya and Izumi not to come near to. It was an evil flame, born of anger and spite; a flame that consumes not only the tangible, but the intangible—like the soul, he said.

Slowly they crept forward, fists overflowing with power that was ready to be unleashed should an enemy suddenly make a jump at them. The further they went, the more Izumi shivered inwardly. There was something _extremely_ wrong with the place. Even the wind and the air seemed to agree with her assessment.

Soon, they found themselves standing in front an intricately carved metallic door whose frame depicted nothing but pain and suffering, war and famine, and all the other evils and hardships that could be found in the world. It was not the most cheerful thing to see.

Just as Takuya was about to ask Izumi and their spirits what the plan was, Agunimon suddenly sensed something.

'_What a minute!'_ he blurted out which, thanks to the atmosphere of the place, made both Takuya and Izumi jump in a mixture of surprise and fright.

"What?" hissed Izumi. She was starting to wonder if Agunimon was starting to enjoy startling her just like Takuya.

At the same time, Takuya asked, "What is it, Agunimon?"

'_There's no mistaking this. They're just right beyond this door…_' Agunimon replied. '_You can feel it too, don't you, Kazemon?_'

At this, Izumi could feel Kazemon nodding. '_Yes. I can feel Lobomon and the others…but…there's something _different_ about them. It's almost akin to the feeling I got from the Tainted Spirits. But, at the same time, it's not…_'

"So…wait. Should we get ready to fight them, or…?" Takuya trailed off.

'_We don't know,_' Kazemon admitted.

'_Just be careful. Both of you._' Agunimon supplied.

* * *

><p>Luxmon didn't know how good an actor he was, but at that moment he knew he had to give it his best shot. It was either that or let their enemies know that there was a new player on board and he was someone quite unpredictable, even for the person—Digimon Spirit—in question.<p>

And so, when he saw Yumi Akihabara—the person the Evil One had taken as his vessel—he quickly tried to remember and mimic everything about Kouichi Kimura that he could. He acted as though he was as startled, yet happy, to see Yumi. He acted as though he didn't understand what was going on when Yumi—or the Evil One, rather—raised a hand against him and summoned forth shadows that quickly began to attack him. He acted as though he was having a hard time and was hurt by what was going on. He acted as though he was the human child, Kouichi Kimura and no one else.

"Tell me," the words escaped Yumi's lips, it was her voice, but it wasn't her that was speaking. "How did you free yourself from my grasp when you've already succumbed so deeply?"

Luxmon grinned, as he knew Kouichi would when feeling smug about something. "And why would I tell you something like that?"

The smile that crept up to Yumi's face was so…inhuman. It was strange, dark, and creepy. From somewhere deep—through the connection borne from Duskmon who had been with Kouichi in those years Kouichi and Yumi had spent together—Luxmon could feel a part of Kouichi not liking what he was seeing. It was the part that remained untouched by the darkness from the Evil One. It was the part that shone so brightly, it was slowly purifying the darkness that was consuming it. Slowly.

Luxmon could sense Kouichi's desire to turn Yumi back to the way she was. To free her from the Evil One's icy grasp. All that was only for a second though, as that feeling disappeared and the small consciousness that was Kouichi disappeared as well. Still, Luxmon had every intention of honoring what the young man desired.

"I suppose that is true, and of little consequence," Yumi admitted, her eyes glinting in the same way a predator's eyes does when it was ready to kill its prey. "I can _always_ bring you back under my control."

"I doubt it," Luxmon replied as he summoned the weapon Kouichi had had trouble summoning before—the weapon that Kouichi had always felt he didn't deserve to wield—the Sword of Light.

Without hesitation, without fear, and without much goading, Luxmon charged straight towards Yumi, seeing her not as the human whom Kouichi would do anything for, but as the vessel of the Evil One. This, of course, surprised his opponent who had expected Kouichi to reason and plead that Yumi return to normal; that she would come back with him.

The surprise was only momentary as the Evil One met Luxmon's attack, a scythe made of shadow in Yumi's hand clashed with the sword that was in Luxmon's.

The fight was on.

* * *

><p>It was like they were suddenly transported to the set of '<em>The Walking Dead<em>'. Minus the blood and the gore. True, the other side of the door couldn't have been more depressing if it tried, but apart from that heavy atmosphere of helplessness and hopelessness, there was little destruction. Maybe because those that were held prisoner didn't even try to lift a finger to escape.

There were moans and groans that echoed around them. Each sound was a sound filled with distraught. Izumi could only gasp, and Takuya could only ball his fist and grit his teeth, when they saw the state their friends were in.

Glazed over and lifeless eyes, drool falling from their lips, their shoulders hunched in defeat. There was no vigor, no life in them even though they were alive. It was as if the entire room had sucked all of their happy memories, all of the fight in them, leaving them with nothing but empty shells.

'_This is worse than I thought,_' Kazemon voiced out the thought that was on everyone's minds.

'_Yes,_' Agunimon admitted. '_I had hoped that Lobomon and the others could pull them out of their slumps just like how we managed to do but…We really have no time to waste now. Every second they spent trapped inside their own darkness is a second we lose them entirely. We have to bring them back to the old man and hope that he could help us out again.'_

"Agreed," Takuya nodded, his voice hoarse and pained. He didn't like seeing his friends in the lowest point of their lives. _There was also the long-term effects to worry about._

Takuya looked over at Izumi, and they both nodded and went to do what must be done. Gently shaking the others and cooing softly to make sure they don't make any startled noises—or any alarming sounds that could get _all_ of them in trouble.

Though Kouichi and the other _Spirit Shinkers_ were confused, there was a hint of awareness in their eyes that flashed briefly and suddenly in sparse moments that told Takuya and Izumi their friends still knew who they were. At least, to some extent.

When they have managed to bring them all up and ready, the next problem they had to scale once again loomed itself before them.

"How, exactly, are we supposed to get out of here now? It seems impossible to go and find Luxmon without getting into trouble with _them_ in tow." Izumi said.

Takuya sighed, before looking at Izumi meaningfully. "You and I both know there's only one _safer_ way to go about this. And—" Takuya cut her off, knowing she would be against the idea. "It's not up for debate, Izumi."

He could tell Izumi had a lot of things to say about it, but the look he gave her silenced all of that. With only their eyes to convey the promises that they would rather not speak aloud in fear of the universe getting in the way, Takuya nodded and began to make his way out. Telling Izumi to wait for him and assure her that they would not take long.

Of course, it didn't occur to Takuya—until minutes later when he was already back at the corridor—that he still had the problem of actually _finding_ Luxmon to deal with.

'_Things can never be too easy for us, can they?'_

'_Of course. You should be used to it by now, Takuya._' Although Agunimon said it in mirth, Takuya couldn't force himself to laugh.

It was just too damn troublesome.

* * *

><p>Katsuya panted. He was starting to believe he really was in over his head. Still, he refused to acknowledge it out loud. Even when his left eye had already swollen shut, his lip busted and bloody, a few of his ribs probably cracked, and his right arm hanging limp and useless. He was not going to back down.<p>

Blood dripped from the large wound on the side of his head, still Katsuya forced himself to stand up each time he was brought down. He swore that the fire in him wouldn't be extinguished by the monster he was now facing.

Still, words and thoughts could only do so much and the amount of attacks he had doled out on his opponent—on the Valkyrie—was useless. Utterly and completely useless.

"Why don't you just give up?" the Valkyrie sounded bored. Katsuya was nothing more than a nuisance to him. Like a bug, or a cockroach, that was flying around and needed to be squashed. "What are you even fighting for? The future from where you belonged no longer exist. _You_—technically speaking—no longer exist."

"Heh," Katsuya laughed bitterly. "That's the second time I've heard that. Frankly, I'm way past caring. And truthfully, I no longer _do_ care. But that doesn't mean I'll let you beat me. If I'm to disappear completely, then I'd at least take one of your kind with me."

Those words were meant to taunt the Valkyrie before him, but even that didn't work as the Valkyrie merely smiled, humoring Katsuya.

"You can try," the Valkyrie said, unperturbed. "But that's about all you _can_ do."

* * *

><p>Luxmon felt it. It was a subtle shift. Almost akin to a tickling sensation. But he could feel it. He was, after all, one of the Spirits. One of the Pillars. New or not, he still retains the connection both Duskmon and Loweemon had. And such connection was stronger now that there were no warring sides in the Digi-Spirit of Darkness.<p>

Agunimon and Takuya were looking for him. It was urgent. And there were only two possibilities that crossed Luxmon's mind as to the reason why. Either Izumi was in-trouble, or they had found where the others were being kept and it was time for them to go. Of course, there was also that possibility that Katsuya had gotten himself in-trouble as well and had asked for Takuya and Izumi's assistance—though the probability of that was slim at best with how Katsuya had been acting cold towards the couple.

Knowing that the Bearer of the Spirit of Fire—and the Spirit of Fire with him—was getting close, Luxmon knew he had to ditch Yumi and the Evil One currently in control of her before the said demonic being could be wiser.

The problem was: how?

"What's the matter?" the Evil One asked, relishing the emotion that had crossed Kouichi's face, believing it to be one of helplessness. "Giving up already?"

Luxmon remained in silent contemplation, even as he met the Evil One's scythe with his Sword of Light. Their blades bouncing off each other. Every impact created a loud, fizzing sound as the powers of light and ultimate, evil darkness collided.

Time was running out. Takuya was getting closer. Deciding which was most important for the moment, Luxmon added just more power to his attack, shoving Yumi as far back as he could without dropping his act.

Maybe he put just a _little _more effort to it than he initially thought for Yumi sailed backwards, hitting her back on a metallic suit of armor that quickly toppled over to her. Without looking back and worrying if he overdid it, Luxmon turned to his heels and ran to the direction where he could sense Takuya was.

As soon as he was certain no one was looking, Luxmon allowed himself to move faster than what was humanly possible, meeting with Takuya even before an angry roar—inhuman in nature—resounded from where he had left the Evil One.

"W-What was that?" Takuya had asked.

"No time. Just run." Was all Luxmon told him as he grabbed Takuya's hand and dragged the Bearer of the Spirit of Fire running.

* * *

><p>It was as if he was back facing his doppelganger again. Katsuya couldn't believe he was losing. Again. It was infuriating. Frustrating. Maddening. He wanted to scream out in anger, and then some.<p>

Unlike with his doppelganger, however, Katsuya knew his opponent now will not hesitate to end him. Especially after he had managed to wipe that smirk off of the Valkyrie's face with a well-placed attack that caused the large, gaping wound that was bubbling with blood on his face.

It was a small victory for Katsuya. But, of course, it only made the Valkyrie that much more angry with him, which inevitably led to where he was now: panting heavily, blood gurgling from his mouth as he lay on his back looking up at the ceiling and waiting for the final blow.

And just when the Valkyrie was about to pierce his heart, he stopped, tilted his head as if listening to a voice only he could hear. The scowl on the Valkyrie's face told him that whatever disembodied voice he had heard, whatever said voice had said, was not something the Valkyrie wanted to hear. The annoyed look was the last thing Katsuya saw before his vision blurred and faded and he found himself no longer at the Valkyrie's palace but at some darkened world.

"We finally meet, Katsuya Kanbara," a voice, evil and sinister rang around Katsuya as two sets of red, glowing orbs appeared out of nowhere, hovering in front of him.

"Who…?" Katsuya tried his best to shake his head and to force the words out. He was still very much wounded and every word that escaped his lips were forced. "W-Where…am I?"

"I believe no introductions are in order." The voice quipped. "You already know who _I_ am. And I know who you are, Katsuya. I know you _perfectly_. I know what it is you desire…and, if you let me, I can give you that and more."

Fear and anxiety. Anger and Hatred. All of those emotion swirled in Katsuya's eyes as realization dawned on whom the disembodied voice belonged to. He wanted to stand and fight, but his body—broken as it was—wouldn't allow it. He was in the mercy of his enemy: the Evil One.

"What…what do you want…?"

"I already told you what I want. The question should be, Katsuya Kanbara, what is it _you_ want?" the Evil One paused and when he saw Katsuya's eyes glazed over and could sense what was going through in his head, he went on, "I can give it to you. The future you desire. Just like what I have promised Yumi Akihabara. All I need, in return, is for you to swear your allegiance to me. Do so and you will never have to worry about your existence disappearing ever again. You will not need to worry about your existence hinging on the actions of two mortals. I can give you that. If _that_ is your wish."

As if to drive his point across, the Evil One showed Katsuya a vision and the more of it he showed, the more Katsuya wavered; and the more Katsuya's resolve wavered, the wider the grin that was plastered on the Evil One's face widen.

It was not much longer than a second, no more than a blink of an eye, but for Katsuya it felt like hours. And when the Evil One had showed him all he could show, had promised him everything from the moon and back, the Evil One let go of him.

* * *

><p>"Finally!" Izumi couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief upon seeing Takuya return with Luxmon in tow. She had been worried something might have happened and the two had come across trouble. When she saw that Katsuya was not with them, however, she frowned once more. "Where's Katsuya?"<p>

Takuya frowned. "I didn't look for him." He admitted. "I was busy searching for Luxmon and hoping I wouldn't run into any of the Valkyries."

Turning to Luxmon, Izumi waited for the Digimon to say anything about their missing companion.

In return, Luxmon asked, despite the obvious, "He's not back yet?"

"What should we do?" Izumi asked, she was genuinely worried. She didn't want Katsuya to think they have forgotten about him, although in truth, they really did.

Luxmon merely shrugged—an action that seemed so out-of-character, which threw Izumi off for a moment. "I can make two trips. I'll send you all back to the old man's palace, then I'll return to bring Katsuya back."

"Is that even a good idea?" Takuya asked. "I'm pretty sure there's a chance that when you come back here to pick Katsuya up, alarms will already have rung and the Valkyries would know that we've managed to rescue the others."

"True," Luxmon conceded, though he didn't say anything more and just allowed Takuya and Izumi to come to the realization of what must be done on their own.

After a while, Takuya sighed. The question he asked—the answer to which was an obvious one as alarms had begun blaring—was one that weighed heavily on him.

"We don't have a choice, do we?"

"There is always a choice," Luxmon replied. "But, our current predicament demands sacrifice. If Katsuya is still…" Luxmon shook his head, he didn't really want to pursue that thought. "I'm sure, presented with a dilemma, he will understand why we can't wait for him much longer."

Luxmon waited for his words to sink, and when Takuya and Izumi agreed—albeit reluctantly—he didn't waste any more time bringing them back to the safety of the old man's palace.

* * *

><p>"I told you I wasn't lying," the Evil One murmured to Katsuya's ear, still making use of Yumi as his vessel. "Kouichi had left you behind to rot, in exchange for his friends. You are no longer welcomed in their ranks, after all, why would they need you? You who failed the trial the Guardian of the Dead Sea of Dreams had given?"<p>

Katsuya was silent. His body was no longer broken, courtesy of whatever evil magicks the Evil One had up his sleeves, as he stood by the empty room that had once housed the other _Spirit Shinkers_—the ones the Evil One and his Valkyries had called 'Pillars'.

He didn't want to believe that what the Evil One said was true, but the proof given to him was quickly dissolving his belief in his so-called 'friends'. This quickly turned to anger, and the rise of a thousands of questions all beginning with the word 'why?'.

The Evil One, sensing the gradual yet continuous change in the young man, continued to push his indoctrination to him. "Why do you continue to hold on to these people who, obviously, no longer care about you? Why continue to waste your time helping them when every step you take is a step away from your freedom; from the ultimate prize that is your existence? Join me, Katsuya Kanbara, and I will create a world where you exist. Where the future stolen from you—the life that was taken from you—is returned. What say you?"

The answer Katsuya gave the Evil One, was the one answer he wanted to hear.


End file.
